Notice Type
Departmental
Notice Title

Approval of the MidCentral Opioid Substitution Programme and Lead Clinician to Provide Opioid Substitution Treatment Under Section 24A of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1975

Acting under delegated authority from the Minister of Health, I, Dr John Crawshaw:

  1. Revoke the approval of the MidCentral Opioid Substitution Programme and medical practitioner issued pursuant to section 24A(7)(a), (b) of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1975 made on 14 December 2017 (as published in the New Zealand Gazette, 21 December 2017, Notice No. 2017-go6812); and
  2. Specify the MidCentral Opioid Substitution Programme as a service that may provide treatment with controlled drugs for people who are dependent on controlled drugs, pursuant to section 24A(7)(b) of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1975, at the following places:

    Nikau House
    Palmerston North Hospital
    Ruahine Street
    Palmerston North 4410; and

    Horowhenua Health Centre
    Liverpool Street
    Level 5510.

  3. Pursuant to section 24A(7)(a) of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1975, specify that Dr Patrick O’Connor, as a medical practitioner, may:
    1. prescribe, administer or supply controlled drugs for the treatment of dependence as the lead clinician for MidCentral Opioid Substitution Programme;
    2. authorise in writing service/clinic medical practitioners as specified under subsection 24A(2)(b) to:
      1. prescribe, administer or supply controlled drugs for the treatment of dependence;
      2. authorise in writing general practitioners receiving clients from MidCentral Opioid Substitution Programme as specified under section 24A(2)(b) of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1975; and
    3. authorise in writing general practitioners receiving clients from MidCentral Opioid Substitution Programme as specified under section 24A(2)(b) of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1975.

Conditions

  1. Controlled drugs may only be prescribed, administered or supplied to people who are or have been clients of MidCentral Opioid Substitution Programme.
  2. This approval expires on 31 December 2021.

Dated at Wellington this 11th day of December 2020.

Dr JOHN CRAWSHAW, Director of Mental Health, Mental Health and Addictions.