Key messages
- Victoria's current Policy for maintenance pharmacotherapy for opioid dependence has been revised and will be effective from 1 September 2016.
- A number of additional resources have been created and/or updated.
Victoria's current policy for maintenance pharmacotherapy for opioid dependence has been revised.
The Department of Health and Human Services has provided a number of additional resources to complement the revised policy. Pharmacotherapy providers are encouraged to use these resources when prescribing or dispensing to people on opioid replacement therapy. All are available from the Downloads section on this page. Four of these resources are also available in a number of community languages.
Checklist for assessing appropriateness of take-away doses
The misuse of take-away doses by patients or others who have gained access to another person's take-away doses has contributed to a number of deaths in Victoria. The supply of take-away doses is a significant clinical decision that requires thorough consideration of the risks and benefits. The Checklist for assessing appropriateness of take-away doses is an assessment tool for prescribers when they are reviewing a patient to assess the appropriateness of take-away doses. Pharmacists may also use this assessment tool to provide treatment updates to the prescriber.
Patient agreement forms for  methadone and buprenorphine/naloxone take-away doses
Prescribers and pharmacists should consider a written agreement for take-away doses so patient is fully aware of the structure and responsibilities of receiving  take-away doses.
There are patient agreement forms for methadone and buprenorphine/naloxone take-away doses.Â
These two forms are also available in a number of community languages in the Health Translations Directory.
Patient agreement form: buprenorphine and naloxone take-away
Patient agreement form: methadone take-away
Starting methadone or buprenorphine information sheet
Starting methadone or buprenorphine is an information sheet for people starting pharmacotherapy. This information sheet provides advice about the risks of unsupervised drug and alcohol use, outlines the symptoms of overdose and contains information about naloxone injection.
This information sheet is also available in a number of community languages in the Health Translations .
Methadone treatment in Victoria user information booklet
Methadone treatment in Victoria is an information booklet for people who take methadone to manage opioid dependence. The booklet provides information on the drug methadone, the Victorian opioid pharmacotherapy system, methadone overdose and naloxone injections.
This booklet is available in a number of community languages in the Health Translations .
Pharmacotherapy resources order form
Pharmacotherapy providers may use this order form to order hard-copy resources.
Downloads
Reviewed 23 August 2022