GP Education and Resources

Alcohol

Alcohol Treatment Guidelines

The Guidelines for the Treatment of Alcohol Problems have been periodically developed over the past 25 years. The present version of the Guidelines was commissioned by the Commonwealth of Australia to remain current and integrated with the updated National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) consumption guidelines (2020). Guidelines are available to download here.

National GP Education Package for Alcohol and Other Drugs Treatment

National GP Education Package for Alcohol and Other Drugs (AOD) Treatment

The Australian Government has funded the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) and the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM) to administer a no-cost education package to support GPs in addressing AOD use in the community.

RACGP AOD GP Education Program

GPs can apply for RACGP’s Alcohol and Other Drugs (AOD) GP Education Program via the RACGP website.

It is a skills-based education program based on a whole person-centred care approach. The Program draws on GP’s existing strengths and experiences in chronic disease management and considers the physical, psychological, and social health factors of each patient. The Program also includes a ‘how to’ of harm minimisation and longer-term management and support of patients in the context of their substance use.

The AOD GP Education Program has three entry pathways:

Essential Skills Education is a 2-hour introductory online module accessible to members at any time.
Treatment Skills Training for eligible members consists of an online self-directed eLearning module and training via video conference with expert GP AOD educators. Completing both pathways takes approximately 6-8 hours. Upon completion participants will receive a one-off payment of $1,200.
Advanced Skills Training is open to GPs who have completed the Treatment Skills Training. Upon completion participants will recieve a one-off payment of $2,500

For more information, visit the RACGP Website here or download the Program Handbook.

Program Handbook – (1.75 MB)

RACGP Flyer – (1,018.31 KB)

Phone: 1800 472 247
Email: aod@racgp.org.au

The ACRRM Drug and Alcohol Addiction Education (DAAE)

The ACRRM Drug and Alcohol Addiction Education Program includes a suite of incentivised activities to strengthen the capacity of GPs to address AOD addiction in their communities. These training activities include a virtual workshop, an online learning course and webinars with subject matter experts, supported by resources for GPs to use in their practice.

Each activity attracts individual incentive payments for eligible ACRRM members, and can be done separately; however, it is strongly recommended that you complete the full suite of activities.

Online Learning Course – $1,300 (excl. GST)
Virtual Workshop Course or Face to Face Workshop – $2,700 (excl. GST)
Webinars – $200 (excl. GST)

Visit the ACRRM website for more information about the DAAE program and register for a training activity now.

ACRRM Flyer – (521.74 KB)

Opioid Treatment

Opioid Treatment Accreditation Course (OTAC)

The University of Sydney provides free courses to train health professionals on behalf of the NSW Ministry of Health. The courses assist in the development of knowledge, skills, and practices to support the safe prescribing of opioid pharmacotherapies for the treatment of opioid dependence.

Medical and nurse practitioners can complete the Opioid Treatment Accreditation Course (OTAC), which forms part of the process when applying for accreditation as an opioid pharmacotherapy prescriber.

There are 4 courses that are available to complete. Two of these courses (the Fundamentals of Opioid Treatment and OTAC) are related to the accreditation process; the other two are standalone topics relevant to prescribing opioid treatment.

If you are seeking to complete any of the 4 courses, visit www.otac.org.au to register for an account. For any enquiries, please send them through to otac.info@sydney.edu.au.

Treatment of opioid dependency with Depot Buprenorphine

Interim guidelines for depot buprenorphine were developed to provide a framework for clinical decision making for clinicians and consumers in a range of service settings involved in the delivery of treatment of long acting depot buprenorphine products.

Clinical guidelines for use of depot buprenorphine (Buvidal® and Sublocade®) in the treatment of opioid dependence

Guidelines should be read in conjunction with the NSW Health Guidelines: Treatment of Opioid Dependence

Webinars

Below are a series of webinars providing further information and guidance around depot buprenorphine:

Further Tools

Routine Opioid Outcomes Monitoring (ROOM) Tool: The ROOM tool measures outcomes with opioids using a validated framework and includes domains such as pain, mood, opioid use disorder, alcohol use and constipation

Opioid Risk Indicator: In collaboration with Monash University, Healthdirect Australia has created a self-guided digital tool which asks the user a series of four questions to understand their level of concern in the past three months about their opioid medication use. The results page includes a supporting explanation of the outcome, links to additional information, links to find the nearest GP and an accompanying new planner tool which can help people prepare for the conversation with their GP.

Turn To Help: This is a national opioid addiction awareness program launched by Indivior. It comprises of consumer advertising, education and editorial, alongside in-clinic health care professional support resources.

Other Resources

SafeScript NSW

SafeScript NSW is a real time prescription monitoring system which allows prescribers and pharmacists to access real-time information about their patient’s prescription history for certain high-risk medicines, known as monitored medicines. This information helps prescribers and pharmacists to make safer clinical decisions and reduces the incidence of harm, including death, from the unsafe use of monitored medicines. To support prescribers and pharmacists, a SafeScript NSW Clinical Advice Line as now been established. It is a free 24/7 clinical telephone advice service and is staffed by experienced Clinical Advisors, such as senior nurses, clinical nurse consultants or other relevant health practitioners. Clinical Advisors have access to other relevant medical specialists to provide detailed advice and support.

The service can be accessed via phone on 1800 434 155.

SafeScript NSW Education and eLearning Module

Alcohol and Other Drugs Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS)

GPs may consider optimising MBS items to better support their patients with alcohol and other drugs of addiction.

Download the resource below for more information on common MBS items used:

Optimising the MBS for patients who use alcohol and other drugs (RACGP)

Telephone and Video Consultations Manual

The University of Adelaide has developed a manual to support health professionals in identifying and responding to patients who engage in substance use.

Download here:

Telephone and Video Consultations Manual – (1.85 MB)