02 September 2024
Victoria is experiencing a significant shortage of pharmacotherapy prescribers due to rising demand and a decrease in the number of accredited professionals.
This issue is notable in Eastern and South-Eastern Melbourne, where based on our knowledge of the opioid dependence treatment (ODT) sector, we expect a considerable increase in the need for ODT prescribers over the next 12 months.
General Practitioners (GPs) play a key role in the ODT system
GPs are vital to the pharmacotherapy system in Victoria, offering crucial treatment for patients with opioid use disorder.
As the region faces potential gaps in service provision, there is an important opportunity for more practitioners to get involved and help bridge this gap. Therefore, for any GPs considering this field, now is an excellent time to get involved and contribute.
In Eastern Melbourne in particular, we know that over the next 12 months a large number of people will be looking for a doctor who can prescribe either buprenorphine/naloxone (Suboxone®) or long-acting injectable buprenorphine (Sublocade® or Buvidal®).
Additional training is not necessary to get involved – medical or nurse practitioners may prescribe buprenorphine/naloxone (Suboxone®) or long-acting injectable buprenorphine (Sublocade®, Buvidal®) for up to TEN patients without the need to attend the Medication Assisted Treatment for Opioid Dependence (MATOD) training. See the Essential guides, files and forms for pharmacotherapy service providers.
Support services available to ODT prescribers
The Area 4 Pharmacotherapy Network offers the following support services to ODT prescribers in our area:
- Our GP mentor, Dr Vivian Praeger, can provide advice or guidance around managing opioid dependence and alcohol and drug issues. You can contact Vivian on 03 8514 6680 (mobile divert).
- Peer Group Learning evenings are run across the year, which provide an opportunity for doctors to come together to update their knowledge, discuss cases and benchmark their practice against other MATOD prescribers. Most evenings are eligible for CPD hours (30 mins EA, 60 mins RP). Email A4PN@semphn.org.au to find out more.
- The Victorian Opioid Management ECHO is a weekly education session which aims to bring specialist knowledge and support in opioid management to Primary Care practitioners throughout Victoria. You can register for the VOM-ECHO here
- Our Clinical Placement program is designed for doctors who are interested in getting some hands-on experience once they have completed their MATOD accreditation training. This program provides structured opportunities to work alongside experienced MATOD prescribers, initially as an Observer and following that, potentially as a Prescriber. The time in clinics is generously reimbursed (up to $9760) and is complemented with coursework that builds upon the RACGP modules, with additional mentoring which offers an opportunity to reflect on your clinic time with A4PN’s GP mentor, Dr Vivian Praeger. If this opportunity interests you, please visit the SEMPHN website or email A4PN@semphn.org.au for more information.
For those doctors who have ever thought about stepping into this area of practice, now is an excellent time to make that move, with the potential to make a significant difference in the stability of the local ODT system.
If you are interested, we would love to hear from you – please contact Adrian May, A4PN Pharmacotherapy Liaison Coordinator at adrian.may@semphn.org.au
