What is a clinical placement?
After completing the OTAC course and exam, General Practitioners and Nurse Practitioners seeking accreditation to prescribe opioid pharmacotherapies can apply for a clinical placement with a local supervisor. The placement lasts a minimum of three hours and includes assessment in four areas: clinical skills, ethical considerations, patient management, and support. The supervisor will then submit a Clinical Placement Review Form to support the accreditation application.
It is recommended that the placement be completed within 12 months of finishing the course.
Who can be a clinical placement supervisor or mentor?
The following health professionals are considered appropriate supervisors for clinical placements:
- Addiction medicine specialist (a medical practitioners who is a member of the RACP Chapter of Addiction Medicine)
- Addiction psychiatry specialist (a medical practitioners who is a member of the RANZCP Faculty of Addiction Psychiatry)
- Experienced prescriber of opioid agonist treatment (e.g., general practitioner specialist) may be appropriate as a supervisor. We recommend you contact us to confirm their eligibility before arranging a placement.
- Experienced nurse practitioner in drug and alcohol settings who prescribes opioid agonist treatment may be an appropriate supervisor. We recommend you contact us to confirm their eligibility before arranging a placement.
- In regional and remote areas, alternative clinical placement options can be considered. Please contact us to discuss these options.
How to apply for a clinical placement?
Once you have completed the OTAC course and passed the exam, you can undertake a clinical placement. If you already know an eligible supervisor, you can arrange the placement directly with them. Then, submit your accreditation request using the button below, making sure to include your supervisor’s name in the form. If you need help finding a supervisor in your area, please contact us.
Clinical placement review form
During your clinical placement, your supervisor will use the Clinical Placement Review Form as a review guide to assess your practical competencies for accreditation. You can download the form and take it with you on the day of your placement.
Are you a medical practitioner working in a drug and alcohol setting?
If you are a medical practitioner currently working, or was recently within a drug and alcohol setting, and have received specific training in providing opioid pharmacotherapies for opioid dependence, then the alternative placement options may apply:
- Your clinic supervisor can choose to complete an assessment of your clinical competencies by completing the clinical placement as part of their usual reflective supervision practices without undertaking a formal placement (i.e.,not a specific in-person placement, but more an assessment overall of your current practice).
- Alternatively, your supervisor may prefer to undertake a more formal clinical placement. This decision is at the discretion of your supervisor, and we encourage you to discuss the best approach directly with them.
What is the next step?
After your clinical placement, your supervisor will submit the Clinical Placement Review Form to the OTEP team. Your application will then be reviewed at the next meeting of the NSW Ministry of Health Opioid Pharmacotherapy Subcommittee (OPS). In most cases, no further action is required from you, although the OPS Secretariat may contact you if additional information is needed.