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By Veronica Beltran

24/7 support line

24/7 helpline for clinicians launched to further aid people with addictions

Jun 17, 2020 | 6:00 AM

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.

The 24/7 support line connects health-care providers to an addiction medicine specialist who has expertise in addiction medicine, including emergency, acute and community care.

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“Training in addiction medicine remains a huge gap in the health-care system and people aren’t able to access the treatment and care they need as a result, despite the urgent need as we grapple with two public health emergencies that are especially impacting people who use drugs.”—Dr. Christy Sutherland, BCCSU, physician education lead, and medical director of PHS Community Services Society

The province says that the helpline will support the implementation of clinical guidance and improve access to evidence-based treatment for patients.