24/7 helpline for clinicians launched to further aid people with addictions
VICTORIA—The Province is launching a 24 hours a day, seven days a week helpline for clinicians in need of addiction medicine support, while they treat patients.
The 24/7 Addiction Medicine Clinician Support Line was launched yesterday, June 16, by the B.C. Centre on Substance Use (BCCSU). The goal of the helpline is to provide rapid response for time sensitive clinical substance-use inquiries. Addiction medicine experts provide telephone consultation to physicians, nurse practitioners, nurses and pharmacists who are involved in addiction and substance-use care, treatment and recovery in British Columbia.
“This helpline is another key step in supporting health-care professionals to meet the immediate needs of their patients and to keep them separated from dangerous, unpredictable street drugs.”—Judy Darcy, Minister of Mental Health and Addictions
Earlier in the spring the province launched Canada’s first guidance for prescribing safe prescription alternatives to the toxic drug supply in B.C.