P071 Legislative and governance pathways to psychologist prescribing of melatonin in the behavioural sleep medicine setting in Queensland

Abstract Introduction Melatonin can be a beneficial adjunctive therapy alongside behavioural sleep medicine (BSM) interventions for circadian rhythm disorders or other behavioural sleep problems with an element of circadian disruption. Current psychologist scope of practice in Australia is federally regulated and does not include activities with medicines, including prescribing. Authorisation of health professions to prescribe medicines as part of an extended scope of practice, including research or scope of practice trials, is subject to individual state and territory government regulation. Methods Queensland legislation and health department procedures were reviewed to outline the mechanisms for psychologists to prescribe melatonin in a public sector BSM setting. Results Authority to prescribe medicines is provided by the Medicines and Poisons Act 2019 (Qld) (MPA) and the Medicines and Poisons (Medicines) Regulation 2021 (Qld) (MPMR). This authority may be provided under s75 (General Approval) or s52 (clinical trial) of the MPA without an MPMR amendment. Alternatively, for extended scope models in both public sector and private community settings, an amendment to the MPMR made by the executive branch of government provides authority for a health professional to prescribe medicines alongside an extended practice authority (EPA) by the state health department which specifies the circumstances under which the clinician can execute that authority. Discussion Queensland’s medicines legislation enables allied health extended scope of practice models. Implementation of psychologist prescribing of melatonin alongside BSM requires a MPMR amendment and EPA, or General Approval or clinical trial approval which would specify requisite training requirements, formulary, and any other limitations.