The Victorian Government has introduced new legislation that would ban personal care workers (PCWs) from administering certain medications in residential aged care.

Under the proposed laws, only qualified health professionals – including Registered Nurses, Enrolled Nurses, doctors, and pharmacists – would be authorised to give Schedule 8 and other high-risk medications in aged care homes.

More than 20 years ago, changes to Victoria's Drugs, Poisons and Controlled Substances Act had allowed Personal Care Workers (PCWs) in aged care to administer medication.

The Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (Victorian Branch), which has more than 110,000 members and has been campaigning for the ban for years, said, "subsequently too many residents were given their medications unsafely, without clinical oversight".

The Bill proposes that registered aged care providers will be required to ensure only Registered Nurses and other registered health practitioners administer Drugs of Dependence and Schedules 4, 8 and 9 medications, which includes antibiotics, opioid analgesics, and benzodiazepines, to aged care residents. PCWs will be able to continue helping residents self administering medication.

Maddy Harradence, Secretary ANMF (Vic Branch), said, "This legislation supports nurses to do the job they are qualified to do – medication administration is a core nursing responsibility and an essential part of delivering safe, high-quality, person-centred care. These changes also mean nurses are working to their full scope and therefore more likely to experience positive job satisfaction."

If passed, the new laws will commence on 1 July 2026.