I was extremely lucky to learn how to prescribe methadone and buprenorphine for opioid dependence during my general practice training.

Part of my training was spent in a clinic with a high case load of patients with opioid dependence, so I was surrounded by knowledgeable, experienced and supportive senior colleagues.

To be truthful, all the rules and regulations that surround pharmacotherapy give the impression that this area of work is too difficult for the ‘everyday GP’.

I hope this guide can dispel some of the myths and unpack some of the mystery surrounding opioid replacement therapy (ORT — also known as opioid maintenance treatment, OMT; opioid substitution therapy, OST; opioid treatment program, OTP).