Informing the Community Addiction Team

When a patient with drug dependence is admitted, the community addiction team +/- GP (depending on treatment) must be notified as soon as possible and certainly within 72 hours.  They can then confirm the patient’s dose of maintenance opioid, the supervision arrangements and the use of any other drugs.  It is also useful to start a discussion about how best to support the patient on discharge. 

Before the patient is discharged from hospital, contact the GP or community addiction team to inform them of current opioid management.  Ensure the patient will have access to methadone / buprenorphine if discharged over a weekend.  Most patients on maintenance treatment programmes take their drug doses under pharmacy supervision. You must contact the patient’s local pharmacy if the patient takes the drugs under supervision. Methadone and Buprenorphine (Subutex or Suboxone) should be supervised consumption until revision by the treatment provider.  

Contact the pain service (ext 20284, bleep 1362, JR or ext 25403, bleep 4375, Churchill) or the community addiction team for further advice if needed.