The Australian Requirements Directory

ACT medicines legislation specifically authorises an assistant to administer medication to an assisted person in the community. This authorisation is not limited to a named profession and may apply to a disability support worker when the legislative conditions are satisfied.

Key jurisdictional information

• The relevant framework is the Medicines, Poisons and Therapeutic Goods Act 2008 and associated Regulation.
• Section 361 of the Regulation authorises an assistant to administer medication in specified circumstances.
• This includes medication packed in a dose administration aid by an authorised supplier and administered according to the instructions on the aid.
• The ACT definition of medicine includes controlled medicines, including Schedule 8 medicines.

Qualification finding

No specific medication qualification for disability support workers was identified in ACT Health’s response.

Provider responsibility

The provider must determine and document each worker’s training, practical competency, participant-specific instruction, and organisational authorisation. Applicable NDIS requirements, medication directions and provider policies must also be followed.

The Medecs pathway

Medecs can help ACT providers build evidence of medication workforce capability through clinically led training, practical competency verification, and organisational reporting.

Evidence provided: ACT medicines legislation and information provided by the ACT Health and Community Services Directorate, August 2026.

New South Wales medicines legislation contains a general carer provision relevant to medication administration. NSW Health advised that disability support workers may fall within this provision because they are not excluded, provided the applicable statutory conditions are met.

Please note- NSW has a scheduled revision commencing on November 5^th, 2026.

Key jurisdictional information

• The current framework is the Poisons and Therapeutic Goods Act 1966 and associated Regulation.
• The provision operates as a general carer provision rather than a specific authorisation for disability support workers.
• NSW Health confirmed that the provision may extend to Schedule 8 medicines because disability support workers are not excluded.
• NSW public-health medication policy applies to public health facilities and should not be presented as the governing policy for community disability providers.
• This position must be reviewed before the new Medicines, Poisons and Therapeutic Goods Act 2022 commences on 5 November 2026.

Qualification finding

No specific medication qualification for disability support workers was identified in NSW Health’s response.

Provider responsibility

Providers must establish appropriate worker training, competency, participant-specific instruction, authorisation, and governance arrangements.

The Medecs pathway

Medecs can support NSW providers to move beyond attendance records and develop practical, documented evidence of medication workforce capability.

Evidence provided: NSW medicines legislation and information provided by the NSW Ministry of Health, August 2026.

Northern Territory legislation permits another person to possess and administer a lawfully supplied Schedule 4 or Schedule 8 medicine to a participant, in accordance with the health practitioner’s instructions. This general provision may apply to a disability support worker when its conditions are satisfied.

Key jurisdictional information

• The Medicines, Poisons and Therapeutic Goods Act 2012 is the principal NT medicines legislation.
• Section 76 applies to Schedule 4 and Schedule 8 medicines lawfully supplied for administration to the participant.
• Another person may possess the supplied medicine for that purpose and administer it according to the health practitioner’s instructions.
• Disability support workers are not separately named in this provision.
• NT Health advised that training requirements are governed through applicable industry standards and workplace-safety requirements.

Qualification and competency finding

NT Health identified no specific medication qualification for disability support workers.

Provider responsibility

Providers must decide what training, supervision, competency verification, and authorisation workers require. They must also maintain evidence that workers can perform their medication responsibilities safely and consistently.

The Medecs pathway

Medecs can work with NT providers to establish a practical medication capability pathway incorporating training, competency verification, and workforce reporting.

Evidence Provided: NT medicines legislation and information provided by Medicines and Poisons, Public Health Division, NT Health, August 2026.

Queensland medicines legislation contains a general exemption for a person acting as a carer. Queensland Health advised that a carer may assist a person with medication prescribed and dispensed for that person when the assistance is consistent with the dispensing-label instructions.

Key jurisdictional information

• Section 51 of the Medicines and Poisons Act 2019 addresses agents and carers supplying or administering medicines.
• The medicine must have been lawfully prescribed and dispensed for the participant.
• Assistance or administration must be consistent with the approved dispensing-label instructions.
• Disability support workers are not expressly identified as a separate worker category.
• The departmental response did not expressly clarify how the provision applies to Schedule 8 medicines or what additional controls may apply.

Qualification finding

No specific medication qualification for disability support workers was identified in Queensland Health’s response.

Provider responsibility

Providers must determine and document worker training, practical competency, participant-specific instruction, and authorisation. Applicable NDIS requirements, medication directions and organisational policies must also be followed.

The Medecs pathway

Medecs can help Queensland providers strengthen medication safety through clinically led learning, practical competency verification, and clear workforce-level reporting.

Evidence provided: Queensland medicines legislation and information provided by the Medicines Approvals and Regulation Unit, Queensland Health, May 2026.

South Australia advised that its medicines legislation does not impose medication-administration requirements specifically on disability care workers in community or home settings. General legislation permits a person, including a care worker, to administer lawfully prescribed and supplied Schedule 4 or Schedule 8 medication to the person for whom it was supplied.

Key jurisdictional information

• The Controlled Substances Act 1984 and associated Regulations establish South Australia’s minimum medicines-handling requirements.
• Sections 18 and 18A address the administration of Schedule 4 and Schedule 8 medicines.
• A care worker may administer medication lawfully prescribed and supplied for that participant.
• Provider policies and procedures may impose requirements above the legislative minimum.
• Additional Schedule 8 requirements apply in health service facilities, including hospitals and residential aged care facilities. SA Health advised that these are outside the scope of community care workers.

Qualification finding

SA Health identified no specific medication qualification for disability support workers.

Provider responsibility

Providers must establish training, competency, authorisation, documentation, and oversight arrangements appropriate to their participants, workforce, and service environment.

The Medecs pathway

Medecs can help South Australian providers translate these responsibilities into practical medication training, competency evidence, and workforce assurance.

Evidence provided: South Australian medicines legislation and information provided by Policy and Legislation, SA Health, August 2026.

Tasmania differs from the other jurisdictions reviewed because its medicines legislation expressly identifies disability service workers and disability service providers. Regulation 127 permits medication administration or assistance in defined circumstances, subject to medical directions and applicable Secretary-determined guidelines.

Key jurisdictional information

• The Poisons Regulations 2018 expressly address workers employed by disability services providers.
• The participant must lack the cognitive or physical capacity required to manage or self-administer the lawfully supplied medication, as applicable to the provision.
• The worker must act according to the medical practitioner’s directions and applicable guidelines.
• Amendments commencing 17 June 2026 removed the former restriction to specified narcotic substances. Other statutory conditions continue to apply.

Qualification finding

The May 2016 Disability Services Medication Management Framework identifies RTO-delivered training, including HLTHPS006 or an equivalent pathway, workplace competency, and ongoing review.

Provider responsibility

Providers must ensure workers meet applicable training, competency, participant-specific instruction, and authorisation requirements.

The Medecs pathway

Medecs provides Tasmania’s accredited HLTHPS006 pathway, workplace competency development, and ongoing medication workforce capability support.

Evidence provided: Tasmanian medicines legislation, the May 2016 Framework and the Poisons Amendment Regulations 2026.

Victoria

Victorian medicines legislation does not identify disability support workers as a separate authorised professional group. However, its general possession and administration provisions may apply where medication has been lawfully supplied to a person, and the relevant statutory conditions are satisfied.

Key jurisdictional information

• The Drugs, Poisons and Controlled Substances Act 1981 and associated Regulations form the relevant Victorian framework.
• Regulation 7 addresses possession of Schedule 4, Schedule 8, and Schedule 9 poisons, including possession by a person acting for the person for whom the substance was supplied.
• Regulation 103 sets conditions under which Schedule 4, Schedule 8 or Schedule 9 poisons may be administered to another person.
• Disability support workers are not expressly named as a separate category.
• Workforce capability requirements therefore sit within applicable NDIS requirements and the provider’s governance arrangements.

Qualification finding

Victorian Health advised that the legislation does not prescribe a specific medication training qualification or course for disability support workers.

Provider responsibility

Providers must determine and evidence the training, practical competency, participant-specific instruction, and authorisation required for each worker’s medication responsibilities.

The Medecs pathway

Medecs can help Victorian providers establish clinically led training, practical competency verification and reporting suited to their medication governance environment.

Evidence provided: Victorian medicines legislation and information provided by Health Protection Regulation, Victorian Department of Health, August 2026.

Western Australian medicines legislation contains a general carer provision applying to paid and unpaid people who assist with a patient’s healthcare. WA Health advised that it permits a disability support worker to administer Schedule 4 or Schedule 8 medicine prescribed and dispensed for the participant, according to the prescriber’s instructions.

Key jurisdictional information

• The Medicines and Poisons Act 2014 and associated Regulations form the relevant WA framework.
• Section 14(4)(e) permits a carer to possess Schedule 4 or Schedule 8 medicine for supplying or administering it to the patient.
• A carer includes a paid or unpaid person assisting with the patient’s healthcare.
• WA Health confirmed that this can include a community disability support worker assisting with medication prescribed and dispensed for the participant.
• The provider determines worker suitability and associated documentation requirements.
• An authorised health professional must be involved where medication has not previously been dispensed for the individual patient, including hospital imprest stock.

Qualification finding

No specific medication qualification for disability support workers was identified in WA Health’s response.

Provider responsibility

Providers must establish appropriate training, competency verification, worker authorisation, and documentation controls.

The Medecs pathway

Medecs can help WA providers develop and demonstrate medication workforce capability through clinically led learning, practical verification, and organisational reporting.

Evidence provided: WA medicines legislation and information provided by the Medicines and Poisons Regulation Branch, WA Department of Health, August 2026.