Upcoming Events
OTAC session in Wagga Wagga
- Facilitated by Dr Hester Wilson and Dr Bronwyn Hudson
- Saturday, 5 September 2026
- 9:00 AM – 4:30 PM
Clinical Case Webinar: Assessing and managing alcohol use and OUD
- Facilitated by Dr Joshua Watt, Staff Specialist Addiction Medicine, SLHD Drug Health Services and Clinical Lecturer, Central Clinical School, University of Sydney.
- Tuesday, 15 September
- 6:00–7:00 PM
New Podcast Episode: OAT in the Primary Care Setting
- Guest Speaker: Dr Hester Wilson (Chief Addiction Medicine Specialist for NSW, Clinical Director for Murrumbidgee LHD Drug and Alcohol, Medical Advisor for Population and Community Heath in SESLHD)
- Hosted by Dr Marianne Jauncey (Public Health Physician and the Medical Director of the Uniting Medically Supervised Injecting Centre (MSIC))
OTEP
Is a free training and education initiative for health professionals in NSW, established in 2018 to improve practitioners’ competency and confidence in prescribing opioid agonist treatments.
The program is funded by the NSW Ministry of Health, Centre for Alcohol and Other Drugs, and delivered by the University of Sydney, Specialty of Addiction Medicine.
Training and Education
OTAC sessions
OTAC sessions are one-day hybrid workshops (in-person and online) held five times a year across various locations in NSW. OTAC is the first step in the OAT prescribers’ accreditation pathway.
Online courses
Explore our self-paced, interactive online courses on opioid dependence treatment to build essential knowledge for safe prescribing. A letter of completion is provided upon successful course completion.
Clinical placement
Clinical placement is the second step in the accreditation pathway. After completing OTAC, medical and nurse practitioners undertake a placement with a supervisor who assesses their competency for accreditation.
Scholarship
The OTAC Scholarship supports healthcare professionals in regional and rural NSW to complete OTEP training, become accredited, and begin prescribing OAT—helping expand access to opioid treatment in underserved areas.
Podcast
In Hindsight is a podcast series for GPs and health professionals involved in opioid dependence treatment. Each 30-minute episode shares expert insights and lived experience reflections on key aspects of OAT.
Clinical case webinars
Monthly Clinical case webinars offer ongoing education on opioid pharmacotherapy, providing a forum for prescribers to learn through clinical case scenarios, share advice, and access recorded sessions and resources anytime.
Become Accredited to Prescribe Opioid Pharmacotherapies
Completing the Fundamentals of Opioid Treatment and the OTAC, followed by a half-day clinical placement, allows for medical and nurse practitioners to apply for accreditation with the NSW Ministry of Health Opioid Pharmacotherapy Subcommittee (OPS).
Non-accredited medical practitioners may still prescribe opioid pharmacotherapies for opioid dependence in a limited capacity.
NON-ACCREDITED MEDICAL PRACTITIONERS
Up to 30 patients
- 20 buprenorphine preparation patients;
- 10 low-risk, methadone patients transferred to your care;
- Cannot initiate patients on methadone.
ACCREDITED MEDICAL / NURSE PRACTITIONERS
Up to 300 patients
- Prescribe buprenorphine preparations or methadone;
- 200 patients in pharmacy / private clinics, or 300 in public clinics;
- Ability to initiate patients on methadone.