Opioid report highlights role of pharmacy

An Australian Institute of Health and Welfare report shows a rise of 4.7 per cent in the number of people receiving pharmacotherapy treatment for their opioid dependence.

The report also found in the 10-year period to 2020, client numbers have increased by 15 per cent (46,446 clients in 2011 and 53,316 clients in 2020).

The AIHW National Opioid Pharmacotherapy Statistics Annual Data collection shows that on its snapshot day in 2020, 53,316 people in Australia were on a course of pharmacotherapy treatment for their opioid dependence.

“This is a 4.7 per cent increase in number of clients since 2019 and the largest increase in the number of clients over the last decade,” the report says.

“The increase in client numbers was largely driven by increases in New South Wales and Victoria. Changes in client numbers could be influenced by system changes, coding practices, changes in treatment policies or capacity within jurisdictions, which may contribute to variation over time.

“For Victoria, the increase in the number of clients may have been influenced by the implementation of the Victorian Governments SafeScript initiative. SafeScript has identified people with risky prescription opioid use who were previously undetected.

“For New South Wales, the increase in client numbers in 2020 could be attributed to the introduction of buprenorphine LAI. Buprenorphine LAI was reported in the NOPSAD collection for the first time in 2020.

“It is possible that some additional prescribing of buprenorphine occurred in correctional facilities, with the introduction of depot buprenorphine LAI during the year contributing to an increase in access to treatment. Some NSW Local Health Districts also reported having capacity to increase the number of new patients due to buprenorphine LAI.”

The report found:

• Nationally there were 3,084 dosing points in 2019–20, a 40 per cent increase over the 10 years since 2010–11. Nearly 9 in 10 (89 per cent) were located in pharmacies, which were the most common dosing point sites in all States and Territories.
• Dosing point in pharmacies continued to treat an older client group in 2020. Of clients who received their pharmacotherapy at a pharmacy, the 50 and over age group comprised the highest proportion of clients (38 per cent). In correctional facilities the 30–39 age group comprised the highest proportion of clients (40 per cent), and those aged 50 and over comprised the lowest proportion of clients (9.5 per cent). The client groups dosed at public clinics and private clinics had similar age distributions.
• All dosing point sites from the selected States and Territories treated more males than females, reflecting the overall proportion of more males than females receiving pharmacotherapy. treatment. The proportion of male clients ranged from 63 per cent for pharmacy dosing points to 91 per cent for correctional facility dosing points. The proportion of female clients ranged from 9.0 per cent for correctional facility dosing points to 37 per cent in pharmacy dosing points.
• Across all dosing point types from the selected States and Territories, the majority of clients received pharmacotherapy treatment at a pharmacy (53 per cent), followed by public clinic (16 per cent) and correctional facility (8.9 per cent.

The National President of the Pharmacy Guild of Australia, Professor Trent Twomey, said the Guild was committed to reducing the health, social and economic costs of substance misuse in Australia, recognising the significant public benefits of the treatment programs and their capacity to assist individuals to be productive members of society.

“Given the magnitude of the issue the Guild believes that a national coordinated approach to the management and treatment of opioid misuse is required,” he said.

“Consistent with the National Drug Strategy 2017-2026, the Guild, through the community pharmacy network, is committed to reducing drug-related harm to individuals and communities, which includes ODT programs in community pharmacy.

“The AIHW report highlights the importance of acting on the Guild’s Budget submission which has highlighted access to, and affordability of, opioid dependence treatment.

“Significantly, the report shows the number of patients receiving treatment dosing points has risen by nearly 5 per cent and this should be a concern for everyone and must be acted on as a health priority.

“The report also found 89 per cent of dosing points were in pharmacies and this further underscore the important role community pharmacies play in helping ODT patients.

“The Guild is committed to working with governments, stakeholders and patients to help address this growing problem and I believe acting on out Budget submission is a good start.

“In addition, the commitment by governments at all levels to real time prescription monitoring means they have the quantitative data that they cannot ignore.”

The AIHW report can be accessed here.