Changing Lanes is a series of four short videos made for and by people who are considering or are already on methadone or buprenorphine in Victoria. They are also a useful tool for health practitioners providing services to people seeking treatment for opioid dependence. These videos were developed by Harm Reduction Victoria (HRV) PAMS service with assistance from the Pharmacotherapy Area Based Networks.
The four videos are:
Episode 1 Deciding to go on treatment
Episode 2 Accessing treatment
Episode 3 Organising life around treatment
Episode 4 Treatment goals
The videos are free to use and share, with attribution to PAMS and the Pharmacotherapy Area Based Networks.
PAMS is the Pharmacotherapy Advocacy and Mediation Service of HRV. It is a state-wide telephone service funded by the Victorian Department of Health. PAMS provides confidential telephone-based information, support, advocacy, referral and mediation for opiate pharmacotherapy consumers and their direct service providers on any pharmacotherapy client related issue in Victoria. PAMS is operated during normal weekday business hours and can be accessed by free call 1800 443 844.
Changing Lanes at Harm reduction Victoria https://www.hrvic.org.au/changing-lanes-video
PAMS https://www.hrvic.org.au/pams
Tim Griffiths is a pharmacist and manager of the Hume Area Pharmacotherapy Network.
The Pharmacotherapy Area-Based Networks
The Pharmacotherapy Area-Based Networks (PABN) are a Victorian Government initiative to provide opioid pharmacotherapy support for primary care medical practitioners and pharmacists across the state of Victoria including metropolitan, regional and rural areas.
Each PABN provides connections between primary health care, hospitals and Alcohol and Other Drug (AOD) services to create a more cohesive and strengthened pharmacotherapy service system.
What is pharmacotherapy?
Pharmacotherapy is Medication Assisted Treatment of Opioid Dependence (MATOD). It includes treatments such as methadone and buprenorphine (Subutex®, Suboxone®). Pharmacotherapy is also known as Opioid Replacement Therapy (ORT), and Opioid Substitution Therapy (OST). In Victoria, most pharmacotherapy is provided via a community model, mainly via General Practitioner (GP) and pharmacist service providers. Additional services may be provided by nurse practitioners, community health organisations and specialist nurses and AOD workers.
Your local PABN provides local support
There are two metropolitan and three regional PABNs. Each PABN is structured to meet local need and includes highly qualified management and specialist teams such as GPs, Addiction Medicine Specialists (AMS), Clinical and AOD nurses, and pharmacists. These teams recognise the diverse needs of practitioners and patients, and provide innovative and flexible approaches to meeting local needs. See our About page and the contact details for your local PABN.
Victorian Opioid Management Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes (ECHO) is a PABN program providing specialist no-cost opioid education for all Victorian health practitioners.
