Bay of Plenty Addiction Service Adult Community Mental Health and Addiction Service Bay of Plenty District Health Board 1st Floor Kowhai House (Private Bag 12024) Tauranga New Zealand
3/04/2020 Dear colleagues, We understand that you may have concerns about the current situation with Covid-19 and OST GP Shared Care programme, especially with regard to the upcoming period of ‘lockdown’ due to start on Thursday this week. We would like to reassure you that treatment will continue to be provided throughout this time, and we would also like to reassure that •
the Bay of Plenty OST service will remain open throughout this period;
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we will respond to queries you may have as quickly as possible;
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like supermarkets and petrol stations, all pharmacies in the Bay of Plenty are classed as essential services and they also will remain open as usual;
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‘lockdown’ restrictions do allow all people to visit pharmacies for essential mediations (including OST);
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dispensing regimes will not change during this time and people should continue to attend their usual pharmacy on their usual dispensing days;
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pharmacies will have their own policies in how they manage the current situation so we are following any directions they may have in how they dispense;
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we have suggested that patients may wish to consider varying the time they visit the pharmacy for dispensing to a time when the pharmacy is less busy;
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please note that the OST team will have a reduced ability to respond to requests for changes to dispensing regimes during this period, and at times may not be able to approve any changes at all;
If there are any changes to this advice we will inform you as soon as possible. Should you have any questions regarding this, please call the service to discuss.
Yours sincerely
Sue Coleman Registered Nurse – Addiction Liaison OST Opioid Substitution Treatment Service Bay of Plenty Addiction Service Ph: 579 8391
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