77INurse practitioner taken to be accredited in certain circumstances

77I Nurse practitioner taken to be accredited in certain circumstances

[Section 77I Inserted by No. 17 of 2025, s. 13, Applied:01 Dec 2025]

(1)  A nurse practitioner is taken to be an accredited person for the purpose of issuing a certificate under this Act if the nurse practitioner –

(a) is employed, or engaged, as a nurse practitioner –

(i) in an emergency department of a public hospital, or private hospital, within the meaning of the Health Service Establishments Act 2006 ; or

(ii) in prescribed circumstances or for a prescribed purpose; and

(b) in issuing the certificate, is acting in accordance with that employment or engagement and within the scope of practice that applies to the nurse practitioner in that employment or engagement; and

(c) issues the certificate in accordance with the protocol in force, under subsection (3) , at the time when the certificate is to be issued.

(2)  The Secretary of the responsible Department in relation to the Health Service Establishments Act 2006 is to prepare a protocol that specifies the circumstances in which, or the conditions under which, a nurse practitioner may issue a certificate under this Act.

(3)  A protocol prepared under subsection (2)  –

(a) must be approved by both of the following, before the protocol is in force:

(i) the Secretary of the responsible Department in relation to the Health Service Establishments Act 2006 ;

(ii) the Board; and

(b) comes into force 7 days after it has the approvals required under paragraph (a) or on such later day as is specified in the protocol; and

(c) is to be published on the website maintained by, or on behalf of, the Department responsible for the while the protocol is in force.