Management and treatment
A clinical framework
This section contains information for General Practitioners and Health Professionals on a Clinical Framework - There are key principles involved in identification, management and intervention of alcohol and other drug (AOD) problems.
Early recognition & screening
Early recognition of alcohol-and-drug related problems are important. It can enable intervention to occur before dependence or irreversible damage has developed, or before problems become more complex and difficult to treat. However, alcohol and drug (AOD) problems can be difficult to detect, especially in the early stages.
Assessment
This section contains information on Assessment of Patients for Health Professionals and General Practitioners.
Brief intervention
This section contains information for General Practitioners and Health Professionals on Brief Interventions with patients.
Helping patients change
This section contains information for General Practitioners and Health Professionals on helping patients change.
Challenging behaviours
This section contains information for General Practitioners and Health Professionals dealing with Challenging Behaviours of patients.
Comorbidity
This section contains information for General Practitioners and Health Professionals dealing with patients with comorbidity.
Pain management
Managing chronic and acute pain is difficult. Provision of effective analgesia is only part of the medical management of acute and chronic painful conditions. A careful explanation of the clinical problem is crucial, as is development of a trusting therapeutic relationship.
Polydrug use
Information for General Practitioners and Health Professionals on polydrug use.
Pregnancy
Despite the attention given to illicit substances such as heroin and cocaine it is the licit substances, alcohol and tobacco that are more commonly used by women during pregnancy and whose known adverse consequences are more significant.
Surgery
For any form of surgery assessment for any substance use issues including drug dependence, a brief assessment should be involved. If problems are identified, intervention should commence at the earliest possible opportunity ideally by the treating team or via referral to drug and alcohol services.
Shared care & referral
Good quality general practice care for a patient with alcohol and/or drug problems will often involve referral and/or shared care. There is an extensive network of services now equipped to deal with patients with AOD problems.
Alternative therapies
This section contains information for General Pracitioners and Health Professionals on Alternative Therapies.
Injecting & communicable diseases
This section contains information for General Practitioners and Health Professionals on Injecting and Communicable Diseases.