NUAA Providing Quality Health Care for People Who Use Illicit Drugs

The NSW Users & AIDS Association (NUAA), the statewide, community-based organisation representing people who use or have used illicit drugs, has launched a new active learning module (ALM) for GPs on ‘Providing Quality Health Care for People Who Use Illicit Drugs’.

Recent data shows that alcohol and other drug (AOD) use (including illicit drug use) is commonplace in Australia, and that general practice is the first point of contact with the health system for many people with AOD-related health issues.

If you are a GP or someone working in general practice and would like to know more about illicit drug use in Australia and feel more confident talking with your patients about drug use issues, then this new ALM from NUAA may interest you. This full day, face-to-face training course provides an innovative and engaging learning environment for GPs and others to improve their knowledge, skills and confidence in providing quality care for patients who use illicit drugs.

As a peer-based organisation, NUAA employs a unique consumer-led training approach that provides participants with the opportunity to engage with people who have direct experience of illicit drug use and to benefit from their ‘real-world’ perspectives on drug use and accessing the health system.

Specific sessions will cover topics including:

• An overview of the latest research, policy and evidence on illicit drug use in Australian society;
  
• Understanding and addressing barriers to health care access for people who use illicit drugs;
• “Drug seeking behaviour”, medico-legal issues and ethical responsibilities in general practice;
• Taking a ‘Benefit-to-Harm’ approach to managing patients with drug use issues;
• Making the most of specialist peer-based referral pathways available to GPs.

NUAA is an authorised provider of accredited activities under the RACGP QI&CPD Program 2017-2019. As a Category 1 activity, GPs who successfully complete the training will be eligible for 40 CPD points. All participants who successfully complete the training activity will be provided with a NUAA Certificate of Attendance.