Dispensing opioid substitution treatment: practices, attitudes and intentions of community-based pharmacists

Community-based pharmacists (CPs) play a pivotal role in the provision of opioid substitution treatment (OST). This study examined practices, experiences, attitudes and intentions of a sample of South Australian pharmacists involved with the provision of OST.

A random sample, stratified by geographic location, of 50 SA CPs were administered a telephone survey. The survey included pharmacist and pharmacy details, current practices, problems experienced, attitudes towards and future intentions in relation to the provision of OST.

Pharmacists indicated high levels of support for the OST programme and most (98%) intended to continue providing OST. Sixty-four per cent of all pharmacists, and significantly more rural pharmacists (90%), indicated that they were willing to take on additional clients. Metropolitan pharmacists dosed greater numbers of OST clients (median = 7) than rural pharmacists (median = 4). There was a strong positive correlation between number of regular clients seen and problems experienced by pharmacists. Seventy per cent of pharmacists reported detecting no diversion of pharmacotherapy medication.

Despite reports to the contrary, pharmacists appear to be generally positively predisposed to providing OST. Policies aimed at retaining pharmacists, particularly in resource poor rural areas, could consider embracing a shared-care approach between general practitioners and pharmacists.