Nurse prescribers can now offer patients nearly double the number of medicines

The Director-General of Health's authorised adding 211 drugs to the more-than-240 already on the list.

Health Minister Simeon Brown says the medications cover a wide range of common and long-term conditions.

They include high blood pressure, diabetes, respiratory conditions and menopause symptoms.

Meanwhile, 20 more meds have been added to the more than 1700 pharmacist-prescribers can offer.