Opioid Addiction

Welcome to 2019! We’re kicking off with one of those tricky subjects in general practice: the overlap of pain and addiction.

As GPs, we aim to relieve pain and minimise harm, but occasionally patients get addicted to medications we prescribe. How can we become part of the solution?

One of the RVTS supervisors, Ian Kamerman, speaks about this in a very practical and real way in the webinar recording excerpt this month.

You may want to review the following resources:

Guidelines on Prescribing Drugs of Dependence (RACGP)

NSW Clinical Guidelines: Treatment of Opioid Dependence

This area is certainly where the “art” of general practice comes into play. Registrars are encouraged to discuss this topic further with their supervisors to refine their skills in managing opioid addiction in the community.