91É«ÇéƬ

About the webinar:

This webinar will review the current provision of alcohol and other drug (AOD) care in custodial settings, and the policies and legislation that impact AOD care delivery. It will also present the latest consensus guidelines around opioid agonist therapy and withdrawal management in Australian custodial settings developed by the National Prison Addiction Medicine Network (NPAMN). The webinar will discuss issues around conducting research in custodial settings and principles around an implementation framework of interventions to improve the healthcare of incarcerated people.

About the speaker:

Dr Thileepan Naren is an addiction medicine specialist and general practitioner with a demonstrated history of working with disadvantaged and marginalised groups. He has special interests in addiction medicine, Aboriginal health, custodial health, public health policy and medical governance.

Dr Naren works at Western Health and cohealth. Through Western Health, he provides clinical services in Addiction Medicine at Dame Phyllis Frost Centre (Victoria’s largest prison for women) and the Hamilton Centre (the Victorian statewide service for people living with mental illness and substance use or addiction). He also works at cohealth Health Works, a primary care service for people who use drugs.

In recognition of the systemic issues relating to the care of people who use drugs in custodial settings, Dr Naren led the formation of the NPAMN in August 2023. The network brings together stakeholders across the sector to develop consensus guidelines for the management of addiction in custodial settings and promote evidence-based best-practice healthcare for people in prison through a coordinated national approach.

About the panellist:

Dr Katerina Lagios is a sexual health physician who currently works as the Clinical Director Population Health and Co-Clinical Director Drug and Alcohol Justice Health NSW. She has a doctorate in Public Health, and has research interests and clinical experience in sexual health medicine, justice health, drug and alcohol and hepatitis treatment.