Placements and Accreditation

Following completion of the OTAC, medical and nurse practitioners may be eligible to apply to be recognised in NSW as an accredited prescriber of opioid pharmacotherapies for the treatment of opioid dependence.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, placements for OTAC participants are not to be undertaken at this time to ensure compliance with COVID-19 restrictions, until further notice. In lieu of this, the following has been set up by the NSW Ministry of Health Opioid Pharmacotherapy Subcommittee (OPS; formerly PCS):

• For registrars working in an addiction medicine setting currently or recently
  OTP clinic supervisors are to fill out the Clinical Placement Form as part of their usual reflective supervision practices with you (i.e. not a specific placement, but more an assessment overall of how your practice is going). Generally, registrars in the addiction medicine setting should submit these forms within 12 months from completing the OTAC to be eligible.
• For regular prescribers – those not in addiction medicine settings under supervision
  The requirement for the clinical placement has been suspended. These prescribers should apply directly for accreditation after passing the OTAC exam and provide evidence of passing grade (i.e. letter of completion). Generally, for regular prescribers, you should submit these forms around 6 months from completing the OTAC to be eligible.

Those who successfully apply you will be sent a list to facilitate linkage with Local Health District drug and alcohol services to ensure compliant clinical and administrative practice, and to provide support.

Steps to Apply for Accreditation During COVID-19

Following completion of the OTAC, participants should undertake the following:

1. Registrars in addiction medicine settings should have their OTP clinic supervisor complete the Clinical Placement Form as a general assessment. Regular prescribers outside of addiction medicine setting do not need to complete the Clinical Placement Form – This has been suspended during COIVD-19.
2. Submit the following documents to the Opioid Pharmacotherapy Subcommittee (OPS; formerly PCS) at: MOH-PCS@health.nsw.gov.au:
   • Completed application form for accreditation – Form 5B
   • Completed Clinical Placement Form (registrars in addiction medicine settings only)
   • A recent CV
   • Your letter of completion for the OTAC (If you completed the OTAC online, this will be available on the online portal; if you completed the course face-to-face refer to your email you received).
3. After accreditation, you will be sent a list to facilitate linkage with your Local Health District drug and alcohol service to ensure compliant clinical and administrative practice, and to provide support.

If you require another copy of your completion certificate or have any other questions related to this, please contact us.