ScriptCheck SA and Medication Assisted Treatment for Opioid Dependence (MATOD)

It is important to be aware of other drugs the patient may be using when prescribing methadone or buprenorphine due to possible drug interactions. Patients may provide information about their other drug use along with Urine Drug Screens (UDS).

Launched on 31 March 2021, ScriptCheckSA is software that aims to minimise the potential harms associated with high-risk prescription medicines (monitored drugs) in SA. It provides prescribers and pharmacists with real-time information about their patients’ use of monitored drugs so that they can make safer clinical decisions about which medicines to prescribe or supply. Prescribers and pharmacists must take all reasonable steps to check relevant information in ScriptCheckSA before prescribing or dispensing a monitored drug to a patient, unless an exemption applies. Prescribers can register for ScriptCheckSA at the ScriptCheckSA website.

For more information visit ScriptCheckSA.

Drugs of Dependence Unit

If you are unable to access ScriptCheckSA you can contact the Drugs of Dependence Unit to obtain information about your patients’ use of monitored drugs.

Phone: 1300 652 584 (Monday to Friday 9:00 am to 5:00 pm)

Email: DrugsofDependenceUnit@sa.gov.au

Further information and advice

Drug and Alcohol Clinical Advisory Service (DACAS)

DACAS provides a telephone and email service for South Australian health professionals seeking clinical information and clarification around clinical procedures, guidelines and evidence-based practice.

Telephone: (08) 7087 1742 — 24 hours 7 days/week including public holidays or email your enquiry to: HealthDACASEnquiries@sa.gov.au.

Out of these hours, medically urgent calls from a hospital based Medical Consultant or country hospital medical officer/ GP will always receive a response.

This service does not provide proxy medical cover and cannot assume responsibility for direct patient care.

Office hours

Drugs of Dependence Unit phone 1300 652 584 (office hours)

Provides advice on prescribing from a regulatory view point.

Other services

Alcohol and Drug Information Service (ADIS) telephone 1300 13 1340 any day between 8.30 am and 10.00 pm for information, counselling and referral (South Australian callers - local call fee).

Clinical guidelines

The National Guidelines for Medication-Assisted Treatment of Opioid Dependence covers the use of methadone, buprenorphine, buprenorphine/naloxone and naltrexone. Information on the assessment of opioid withdrawal, including the Subjective Opiate Withdrawal Scale (SOWS), the Objective Opiate Withdrawal Scale (OOWS) and the Clinical Opiate Withdrawal Scale (COWS) is included in Appendix 2.

National clinical guidelines for the management of drug use during pregnancy, birth and the early development years of the newborn (PDF 584KB). Maintaining or initiating MATOD is the preferred approach to management of opioid dependence in pregnancy. DASSA should be contacted for advice and/or management if your opioid dependent patient is pregnant.

Interim Brief clinical guidelines for the use of depot buprenorphine (Buvidal® and Sublocade®) in the treatment of opioid dependence for South Australian Community MATOD prescribers (PDF 837KB). These guidelines are to be used in conjunction with the full Product Information, Consumer Information materials and demonstration videos provided by each of the depot BPN manufacturers. These resources and additional information are available online in the module 'Theory — Depot Buprenorphine — SA' hosted by Inkwire.

NSW Long-acting injectable buprenorphine (LAIB) for opioid dependence treatment. Although these guidelines were written for NSW, most of the clinical information is applicable to a South Australian context.