Seminars for this year - 2013
Wednesday 27th February, 2013
"Back to basics of methadone and buprenorphine"
Safe inductions in treatment start and after missed days, “post dose examinations” and methadone blood levels, issues around TA’s, coming off treatment, outcome comparisons buprenorphine with methadone; changes to formulations: buprenorphine implants, methadone/naloxone products. GP outreach and the scope of OST – “just dosing: or more?
Presenters:
Dr Andrew Byrne - is an addiction medicine specialist, popular commentator on addiction matters and author of two books and over 40 papers and letters in peer review journals.
Dr Robert Graham – is a Staff Specialist in addiction medicine in Westerns Sydney Local Health District
Wednesday 1st May, 2013
"Update on Psychostimulants"
Amphetamine type stimulants: effects, pharmacology, complications, presentations, epidemiology of use and harm. Brief overview of other stimulants: cocaine, MDMA, MDA, khat, mephedrone, other less common stimulants. Update on interventions, including the Stimulant Treatment Program, the ‘s-Check’ early intervention, and future directions
Presenters:
Dr Nadine Ezard - is the Clinical Director of the Alcohol & Drug Service, St Vincent’s Hospital, Sydney. She was previously Program Director of Monash Initiative for Global Health Improvement, and has worked for the UN’s refugee agency UNHCR and the World Health Organisation.
Dr Alex Wodak – is Emeritus Consultant for the Alcohol & Drug Service, St Vincent’s Hospital, Visiting Fellow at the Kirby Institute of UNSW, President of the Australian drug Law Reform Foundation and Director of Australia21.
Brian Francis - is the Manager of the Stimulant Treatment Program, St Vincent’s Hospital.
Wednesday 26th June, 2013
"Antipsychotic medications in people with substance use disorders (deferred from 2012)”
Pharmacological primer on how the antipsychotics work, how and when to use, and not to use, these medications in people with substance use disorders, with a special emphasis on quetiapine and olanzepine.
Presenters:
Dr Lisa Juckes & Dr Emma Schwarcz - are both Staff Specialist Psychiatrist in Addictions, at Herbert Street Drug & Alcohol Services, Royal North Shore Hospital.
Wednesday 21st August, 2013
"Psychological techniques in substance use disorders"
Motivational assessment, intervention, relapse prevention, CBT: how these things are done, and perspectives for clinicians who ‘wear two hats’, like doctors and case managers, on principles of motivational assessment/intervention, when to refer and when NOT to refer for formal counselling, brief interventions at the coalface.
Presenter:
A/Prof Andrew Baillie - is Associate Professor at the NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence in Mental Health and Substance Use, Macquarie University, and Honorary Clinical Psychologist at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Drug Health Services. He has published extensive research on mood, anxiety and substance use disorders.
Wednesday 16th October, 2013
"Drugs in Pregnancy, including buprenorphine and methadone"
Effects of maternal drug use in pregnancy and neonates; neonatal abstinence syndrome and its management; introduction to Perinatal and family health services; role of GP’s; early identification of drug use in pregnancy; response to ongoing drug use including DoCS notification; methadone versus buprenorphine in pregnancy, “suboxone’ in pregnancy; Naltrexone in pregnancy. Smoking cessation in pregnancy; NRT, other Pharmacotherapies. Antidepressants, benzodiazepines in pregnancy.
Presenter:
Catherine Maher - is Perinatal and Family Health Clinical Nurse Consultant, at South Western Sydney Local Health District.
Wednesday 11th December, 2013
"When Drugs are Mixed”
‘Sextacy’, tryptophan and MDMA, amphetamines and sedative-hypnotics, opiates and benzodiazepines, alcohol and cocaine, speedballs, alcohol and benzodiazepines etc. Presentation with cases, and questions.
Presenter:
Prof Paul Haber - is the Medical Director, Drug Health Services, Sydney and South Western Sydney Local Health Districts and Professor in the Discipline of Addiction Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Sydney.