Protecting the Public and the Practitioner – The legal basis for the administration of medications by pre-hospital emergency care practitioners

All care delivered to members of the public must be within the constraints of existing legislation and eu directives (referenced below). The authorisation of pre-hospital interventions and administration of medications are directly linked to the PHECC establishment orders and the medicinal products regulations. these in turn are directly linked to the PHECC CPG's.
The 3rd Edition CPG manual (pg 13) outlines the conditions under which CPGs can be implemented:

1. The practitioner is in good standing on the PHECC practitioner’s register.

The register recognises three levels of practitioner, Emergency Medical Technician, Paramedic and Advanced Paramedic. If you are not on the PHECC register you may not administer any medications.

2. The practitioner is acting on behalf of an organisation (paid or voluntary) that is approved by PHECC to implement CPGs.

The list of organisations approved to implement the 3rd Edition CPGs is available on the PHECC website www.phecc.ie (see below). If your organisation is not listed, then the 3rd Edition CPGs do not apply and you may not administer medications under these CPGs.

An organisation with PHECC approval to implement CPGs at EMT level have scope of practice for all registered practitioners providing care on behalf of that organisation at EMT level only.

3. The practitioner is authorised by the organisation on whose behalf he/she is acting to implement the specific CPG.

Organisations may decide not to implement specific CPGs therefore it is important that each organisation specifies to its practitioners which CPGs, if any, it is not implementing.

4. The practitioner has received training on – and is competent in – the skills and medications specified in the CPG being utilised.

In accordance with the Code of Professional Conduct and Ethics, each registered practitioner must keep their skills updated in line with best practice. 

This legal and professional framework protects both the public and the practitioner.

   S.I. No. 109 of 2000

The Pre-hospital Emergency Care 
Council, (Establishment) Order, 2000

S.I. No. 575 of 2004

The Pre-hospital Emergency Care 
Council, (Establishment) Order 2000, 
(Amendment) Order, 2004.

S.I. No. 510 of 2005

Medicinal Products (Prescription and Control of Supply) (Amendment) Regulations 2005.

Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2007

This act confirms the orders made under the Health (Corporate Bodies) Act, 1961 as amended.

S.I. No. 139 of 2008

Recognition of Professional 
Qualifications (Directive 2005/36/EC) Regulations, 2008

S.I. No. 166 of 2008

Recognition of Professional Qualifications (Health and Social Care Professions (Directive 2005/36/EC) Regulations, 2008

S.I. No. 512 of 2008

Medicinal Products (Prescription and Control of Supply) (Amendment) Regulations 2008.