(1)  In this regulation –

drug means any of the following substances:

(a) ergometrine;

(b) metoclopramide;

(c) morphine;

(d) oxytocin;

(e) pethidine;

(f) promethazine;

general order means an order issued by a medical practitioner under subregulation (2) ;

hospital means a hospital that provides obstetric services.

(2)  Subject to this regulation, a medical practitioner may issue an order to the Director of Nursing of a hospital authorising a midwife who practises midwifery in that hospital to, in the midwife's discretion, do any one or more of the following things in that hospital in accordance with the order:

(a) administer any drug specified in the order to a patient of that medical practitioner;

(b) administer naloxone neonatally to a child born of a patient of that medical practitioner;

(c) administer hepatitis B vaccine neonatally to a child born of a patient of that medical practitioner.

(3)  A medical practitioner must not issue a general order that purports to authorise a midwife to –

(a) administer a scheduled substance other than a drug, naloxone or hepatitis B vaccine; or

(b) administer a drug otherwise than in accordance with subregulation (9) ; or

(c) administer naloxone otherwise than in accordance with subregulation (10) .

(4)  A general order is to –

(a) be in writing; and

(b) specify which substances may be administered under the order; and

(c) state the name of the hospital in respect of which it is issued; and

(d) be signed and dated by the medical practitioner issuing the order.

(5)  A general order is taken to have been issued when it is received by the Director of Nursing of the hospital to which it applies.

(6)  A medical practitioner must not vary a general order once it has been issued.

(7)  A medical practitioner may revoke a general order at any time by giving not less than 24 hours' written notice of the revocation to the Director of Nursing of the hospital in respect of which the order was issued.

(8)  If a medical practitioner issues a general order in respect of a hospital, a midwife who practises midwifery in that hospital may, in his or her discretion, do any one or more of the following things in that hospital in accordance with the order:

(a) administer drugs to a patient of that medical practitioner;

(b) administer naloxone neonatally to a child born of a patient of that medical practitioner;

(c) administer hepatitis B vaccine neonatally to a child born of a patient of that medical practitioner.

(9)  For the purposes of this regulation, a general order may authorise the administration of drugs to a patient in the following doses and quantities and in the following manner of administration:

(a) in the case of ergometrine – one dose not exceeding 0.5mg administered intramuscularly after delivery of the patient's child;

(b) in the case of metoclopramide – one dose not exceeding 10mg administered intramuscularly;

(c) in the case of morphine – one dose not exceeding 5mg administered intramuscularly;

(d) in the case of oxytocin – one dose not exceeding 10 international units administered intravenously or intramuscularly after delivery of the patient's child;

(e) in the case of pethidine – one dose not exceeding 50mg administered intravenously or one dose not exceeding 100mg administered intramuscularly;

(f) in the case of promethazine – 2 doses, neither exceeding 25mg, administered intramuscularly.

(10)  A general order may authorise one dose of naloxone, not exceeding 0.02mg, to be administered neonatally.

(11)  A midwife who administers a drug, naloxone or hepatitis B vaccine to a person in accordance with a general order must enter details of the administration in that person's drug therapy record.