New South Wales Consolidated Regulations

POISONS AND THERAPEUTIC GOODS REGULATION 2008 - REG 75

75 Storage in hospital wards

(1) Drugs of addiction that are kept in a hospital ward must be stored apart from all other goods (other than prescribed restricted substances or propofol) in a separate room, safe, cupboard or other receptacle securely attached to a part of the ward and kept securely locked when not in immediate use.

(2) The nurse or midwife in charge of a hospital ward must ensure that--

(a) the room, safe, cupboard or receptacle is kept securely locked when not in immediate use, and

(b) any key or other device by means of which the room, safe, cupboard or receptacle may be unlocked--

(i) is kept on the person of a nurse or midwife whenever it is in the ward, and is removed from the ward whenever there is no nurse or midwife in the ward, or

(ii) is kept in a separately locked safe to which only a nurse or midwife has access, and

(c) any code or combination that is required to unlock the room, safe, cupboard or receptacle is not divulged to any unauthorised person.

: Maximum penalty--20 penalty units.