Notice Type
Departmental
Notice Title

Approval of a 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 Te Whatu Ora Te Pae Hauora o Ruahine o Tararua MidCentral Opioid Substitution Treatment Service and medical practitioner issued pursuant to section 24A(7)(a), b) of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1975 on 28 June 2023 (as published in the New Zealand Gazette, 29 June 2023, Notice No. 2023-go2872); and
  2. Specify Te Whatu Ora Te Pae Hauora o Ruahine o Tararua MidCentral Opioid Substitution Treatment Service 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:

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

Horowhenua Health Centre
62 Liverpool Street
Levin 5510

  1. Pursuant to section 24A(7)(a) of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1975, specify that Dr Leon (Lee) Nixon, as a medical practitioner, may:
    1. prescribe, administer or supply controlled drugs for the treatment of dependence as the lead clinician for Te Whatu Ora Te Pae Hauora o Ruahine o Tararua MidCentral Opioid Substitution Treatment Service;
    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 Te Whatu Ora Te Pae Hauora o Ruahine o Tararua MidCentral Opioid Substitution Treatment Service as specified under section 24A(2)(b) of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1975; and
    3. authorise in writing general practitioners receiving clients from Te Whatu Ora Te Pae Hauora o Ruahine o Tararua MidCentral Opioid Substitution Treatment Service 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 Te Whatu Ora Te Pae Hauora o Ruahine o Tararua MidCentral Opioid Substitution Treatment Service.
  2. This approval expires on 30 September 2024.

Dated at Wellington this 3rd day of July 2024.

Dr JOHN CRAWSHAW, Director of Mental Health, Manatū Hauora.