The NSW Opioid Treatment Program (OTP) has recently changed. If you take medication as part of the OTP, this change impacts you. Read more about the changes below.
A list of pharmacies in NSW that provide OTP (including long-acting depot buprenorphine) is available.
If you have any questions, call the Opioid Treatment Line on 1800 642 428 (9.30am to 5pm Monday to Friday) or speak to your doctor. For free, confidential peer support, call PeerLine on 1800 644 413 (9am to 5pm Monday to Friday).
The Australian Government recently announced that OTP medicines – methadone and buprenorphine (tablets, film or injection) – are now part of the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS). This makes the medicine cheaper.
If your current provider is not providing your treatment at the cheaper rate, speak to your prescriber or dosing point about it. In some cases, you may need to change where you receive medicine from.
Call the Opioid Treatment Line on 1800 642 428 (9.30am to 5pm Monday to Friday) if you need support.
Your pharmacy will continue to use your existing prescription while it remains valid so you can get your treatment without any breaks. You can continue to use both paper-based and electronic prescriptions.
The medicine you receive will not change. You will still be able to get the same medicine you are taking now.
The change will impact you if you currently visit a private clinic, private pharmacy or a non-PBS pharmacy to get your medicine.
The Commonwealth Government has provided a transition period for these services, so you should not see a change in your treatment after 1 July 2023. However, this will end on 30 November 2023.
While these services are still operating, they will be still able to charge their current fees (including after 1 July 2023).
If you are not sure if you currently visit a public or private service, ask the staff at your clinic, speak with your doctor, or call the Opioid Treatment Line on 1800 642 428 or PeerLine for free on 1800 644 413.
New - A map of community pharmacies that offer OTP and/or depot buprenorphine is now available.
If you get your OTP medication dose at a community pharmacy, you will now pay the general PBS co-payment of $30 every 28 days. If you have a concession card you will pay $7.30 every 28 days. This payment will contribute to your PBS Safety Net.
If you get a combination of two strengths of sublingual buprenorphine, you will need to pay two co-payments.
Your pharmacy cannot charge you additional private dispensing or dosing fees for OTP medicines under the PBS.
The new change will not impact you if you currently visit a public service to get your medicine. You can continue going to the same clinic and you will continue to get your treatment for free. While NSW Health is providing the medicine free of charge in public services, this is administered separately to the NSW Health Section 100 co-payment program.
