The NSW Opioid Treatment Program (OTP) seeks to reduce the social, economic and health harms associated with opioid use. The OTP delivers pharmacotherapy and associated services to opioid dependent patients in NSW.
To enrol a patient on the NSW OTP, authorisation from the NSW Ministry of Health is required.
Refer to NSW clinical guidelines: Treatment of opioid dependence for further information.
Information is also available on depot buprenorphine.
Contact NSW Drug & Alcohol Specialist Advisory Services (DASAS) on (02) 8382 1006 in Sydney metropolitan areas or 1800 023 687 in NSW regional/rural areas for clinical advice on the diagnosis and clinical management of patients with alcohol or other drug related problems.
The forms are formatted in the State Health Record Form template. Previous OTP forms (dated 05/18) may also be submitted.
Interstate prescribers who wish to temporarily transfer a patient to the NSW OTP are required to complete and submit an Application for Temporary Interstate Transfer to NSW Opioid Treatment Program.
For information about permanently transferring an OTP patient to NSW or temporarily transferring a NSW OTP patient to another State/Territory refer to NSW Opioid Treatment Program.
Medical and nurse practitioners must successfully complete the Fundamentals of Training and Opioid Treatment Accreditation Course (OTAC) to become an accredited OTP prescriber in NSW.
A NSW medical practitioner who has not received accreditation as a NSW OTP prescriber may be authorised by the Ministry of Health to manage up to 30 patients including:
Non-accredited prescribers are encouraged to complete the free online Fundamentals Training course to ensure they understand the requirements for prescribing opioid pharmacotherapy for patients.
Authorisation to prescribe methadone or buprenorphine (including buprenorphine-naloxone) must be granted by the Ministry of Health before a prescription may be issued to commence treatment.
