Safe and effective opioid replacement therapy

All psychiatrists will deal with substance misuse – a frequent cause for admission to psychiatric wards and requests for liaison advice in general hospitals.

Guidance shows that, for opioid dependence, opioid replacement therapy (ORT) is highly effective at reducing harm, improving treatment retention and reducing likelihood of premature death.

These treatments are not without risk and it is important that psychiatrists can treat substance misusers effectively and safely.

In this module we hope to assist psychiatrists to become confident in delivering these interventions by giving an understanding of the principles and practice required. The module has been updated to reflect the 2017 UK national treatment guidelines.