Tools & support

Pharmacists

Resources

Australian Pharmacist

Australian Pharmacist is the official journal for Pharmaceutical Society of Australia.

Pharmaceutical Society of Australia

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Pharmacy staff, Pharmacists

Education & training

Opioid Replacement Therapy Training Program

The aim of these training programs is to provide pharmacists and pharmacy support staff with the relevant knowledge, skills and tools required to deliver a safe and patient-centred Opioid Replacement Therapy (ORT) service.

Pharmaceutical Society of Australia

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Pharmacists, Nurses, GPs, AOD & mental health workers

Advice

National Online Community of Practice

The Community of Practice is an online community designed for professionals in Australia who work with people experiencing co-occurring AOD use and mental health conditions. It serves as a platform where members can make connections, access valuable resources and engage and collaborate with other professionals to enhance their practice, and ultimately positively impact the health outcomes of people who experience these co-occurring conditions.

The University of Sydney

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Everyone

Program

Turning Point

As Australia’s leading national addiction treatment, training and research centre, Turning Point seeks to transform the way society provides treatment, specialist care and support for those affected by addiction.

Turning Point

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Everyone

Resources

Framing Addiction and Dependence: building support and reducing stigma

This message guide has been designed for people who talk about addiction or dependence in Australia, including clinicians, researchers, policymakers, people with lived experience, and others working to reduce stigma and increase support.

Turning Point

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Pharmacists, Nurses, GPs

Resources

SafeScript

SafeScript allows doctors, nurse practitioners and pharmacists to access information about their patient’s prescription history for certain high-risk medicines. This information helps clinicians make safer clinical decisions and reduces the incidence of harm, including death, from the use of pharmaceuticals.

Victorian Government

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Everyone

Resources

Harm Reduction Victoria

Harm Reduction Victoria provides peer driven and designed education and resources, practical support, information and advocacy to current and past users of illicit drugs, their supporters and the services who work with them.

Harm Reduction Victoria

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Everyone

Cultural content

The Stigma Project

Stories of Stigma and Discrimination is a participatory filmmaking project delivered by filmmaker and communications specialist Conor Ashleigh for Harm Reduction Victoria.

Harm Reduction Victoria

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Pharmacists, Nurses, GPs, AOD & mental health workers

Resources

Screening and withdrawal tools

Standardised AOD screening and withdrawal tools are crucial for early prevention, intervention and client/patient safety. The National Centre for Education and Training on Addiction at Flinders University maintains this online collection of commonly used AOD screening and assessment tools, along with a description of each tool’s utility.

Flinders University

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GPs

Groups & networks

Balint groups

Balint groups are an important, internationally established method of training general practitioners in the psychological aspects of their work. Small groups of GPs meet regularly with a trained leader to discuss clinical material from their practices, with a focus on the doctor-patient relationship.

Balint Society of Australia and New Zealand

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GPs

Women’s Alcohol Drug Service (WADS)

The Women’s Alcohol and Drug Service (WADS) is a statewide service providing specialist clinical services to pregnant women with complex substance use dependence.

The Royal Women’s Hospital

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Pharmacists, Nurses, GPs

Resources

HealthPathways Melbourne: AOD pathways and referral information

Local clinical and referral information for clinicians at the point of care in the North Western Melbourne and Eastern Melbourne Primary Health Network regions.

NWMPHN and EMPHN

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Everyone

Services & organisations

AOD service finder: Victoria

Browse statewide AOD services using DirectLine’s service finder.

Turning Point

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Pharmacists, Nurses, GPs, AOD & mental health workers

Services & organisations

AOD service finder: NWMPHN

Browse AOD and dual diagnosis services commissioned by North Western Melbourne Primary Health Network.

NWMPHN

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Everyone

Advice

DirectLine

DirectLine is a key component of Victoria’s statewide AOD network. It provides a 24-hour telephone counselling, information and referral service for anyone wishing to discuss an alcohol or drug-related issue. Community members and health professionals can call 1800 888 236 for immediate support.

Turning Point

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Pharmacists, Nurses, GPs, AOD & mental health workers

Advice

Drug and Alcohol Clinical Advisory Service

A free, 24/7 specialist telephone consultancy service that assists health and welfare professionals in Victoria, Tasmania and the Northern Territory to respond effectively to individuals with alcohol or other drug use problems.

Turning Point

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Pharmacists, GPs, AOD & mental health workers

Program

Pharmacotherapy Area-Based Networks

The Pharmacotherapy Area-Based Networks (PABNs) are a Victorian Government initiative to provide opioid pharmacotherapy support for primary care medical and nurse practitioners, nurses, pharmacists and other clinicians, across the state of Victoria including metropolitan, regional and rural areas. Each PABN provides connections between primary health care, hospitals and AOD services to create a more cohesive and strengthened pharmacotherapy service system.

Victorian Government

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GPs

Program

North West Melbourne Pharmacotherapy Area Based Network

Led by cohealth, the North West Melbourne Pharmacotherapy Network is a partnership with Eastern Melbourne PHN, Harm Reduction Victoria, North Western Melbourne PHN and Western Health. Its purpose is to support GPs, pharmacists, practice staff and AOD clinicians to improve health and wellbeing outcomes for people with an opioid dependence. There are paid opportunities for GPs to sit with an experienced pharmacotherapy trained GP to build their understanding, skills and competence in managing the needs of people with opioid dependence.

cohealth

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