National Prison Addiction Medicine Network

Studies over decades have revealed people who use drugs often do not get the care they need in Australian prisons.  

Coordination is urgently needed to address ineffective and variable standards of care provided by disconnected public and private healthcare services.  

In August 2023, Dr Thileepan Naren established the National Prison Addiction Medicine Network (NPAMN) to bring together experts in prison health and addiction medicine.  

The NPAMN is co-hosted by Burnet Institute and Western Health. Committee members include clinicians, policymakers, academics and consumers from across Australia. 

It aims to advance best-practice healthcare for people in prison by: 

• addressing a gap in the national policy landscape 
• coordinating an evidence-based national approach to prison-based addiction medicine. 

Project goals

The NPAMN aims to create agreed guidelines around:  

• Withdrawal management, particularly in locations without a subacute ward.  
• Opioid agonist treatment provision, including continuation and initiation. Opioid agonist treatment is a therapy for people who are dependent on opioid drugs such as heroin.  
• Provision of psychosocial interventions within custodial settings dealing with substance use and relapse prevention. 
• Management of co-occurring trauma and mental illness and dual diagnosis concerns. 
• Management and screening of blood-borne viruses. 
• Harm reduction interventions, including needle and syringe programs (NSPs), take-home naloxone and peer-based mentoring. 
• Planning for release from prison and transitioning patients from prison-based to community-based care. 

Timeline 

August 2023 – ongoing.