The Department of Health and Human Services has worked with NPS MedicineWise to develop a range of resources for health professionals, as well as consumer fact sheets, to promote the safer use of opioid medicines.
Health professionals may refer to the following fact sheets for guidance when considering the prescribing or supply of an opioid medicine to a patient. The fact sheets cover a range of topics, including the risks of prescribing high doses, how to safely taper opioids, and managing patients with a history of opioid dependence. An online calculator is also available to assist health practitioners formulate a tapering schedule for an opioid.
A number of consumer fact sheets have also been developed to assist health professionals provide advice to patients on the safer use of opioid medicines and the risks of harms from inappropriate use of opioids.
Downloads
Safe prescribing and supply of opioid medicines - for health professionals
pdf 165.59 KB
Patient information - How to use opioid medicines safely
pdf 139.17 KB
Risks of prescribing high dose opioids - for health professionals
pdf 166.7 KB
Patient information - Risks of high dose opioid medicines
pdf 145.52 KB
Recommendations for deprescribing or tapering opioids - for health professionals
pdf 155.79 KB
Opioid Tapering Calculator - for health professionals
xlsx 106.63 KB
Pain management in patients with a history of opioid dependence - for health professionals
pdf 188.96 KB
Patient information - Managing your pain safely with opioids
pdf 148.65 KB
Management of acute non-specific low back pain - for health professionals
pdf 177.19 KB
Low back pain - Case study - for health professionals
pdf 224.1 KB
Patient information - Acute low back pain - self management diary
pdf 138.15 KB
Reviewed 06 June 2016
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