Key messages
- The Department of Health fully subsidises training for medical practitioners, nurse practitioners and pharmacists who wish to provide opioid dependence treatment (ODT).
- All medical and nurse practitioners may prescribe buprenorphine and buprenorphine-naloxone without the requirement to complete Medication-Assisted Treatment for Opioid Dependence (MATOD) training
- Approval is not required from the Department of Health to prescribe buprenorphine or buprenorphine-naloxone however, a permit is still required to treat a patient for all formulations of ODT.
- To prescribe methadone, medical and nurse practitioners must complete the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) delivered MATOD training. Following completion of this training, a medical or nurse practitioner must be approved by the Department of Health before applying for a permit.
- It is highly recommended that pharmacists undertake the subsidised training delivered by the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA).
Training is available for prescribers and dispensers participating in the opioid pharmacotherapy program. Participants who complete the online MATOD training can earn up to 11.5 hours of Continuing Professional Development points.
Training for prescribers
MATOD training is available for medical and nurse practitioners who wish to provide ODT. Training is delivered by RACGP and can be completed virtually or via face-to-face workshops. Completing MATOD training allows participants to earn Continuing Professional Development points.
Completing MATOD training is essential for medical and nurse practitioners who want to prescribe methadone. For more information and to register for MATOD training visit the RACGP website.
For the prescribing of buprenorphine this brief video is available to guide prescribers in safely prescribing buprenorphine.
If you require advice on the clinical management of a patient, advice should be sought from a colleague familiar with the use of buprenorphine in the treatment of opioid dependence.
Advice from an addiction medicine specialist may be obtained by contacting the Drug and Alcohol Clinical Advisory Service (DACAS) on 1800 812 804.
Training for pharmacists and pharmacist staff
The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) Victorian Branch delivers training for pharmacists and pharmacy staff working in ODT dispensing pharmacies.
PSA offers Victorian Opioid Pharmacotherapy Program (VOPP) training to support pharmacist and pharmacy staff in providing ODT services including methadone and buprenorphine. This training can be completed virtually, with face-to-face workshops available.
PSA also offers Long-Acting Injectable Buprenorphine (LAIB) training to support pharmacists to administer LAIB. For more information and to register for training visit the PSA website.
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