News

Professor Ann Roche was a keynote speaker at a recent workshop conducted in Adelaide by Australian Medical Placements. The workshop entitled Medical Management in the New ‘ICE’ Age provided general practitioners with increased awareness and strategies for implementing a management plan when dealing with patients who present with crystal methamphetamine-related issues.

Ann’s presentation examined the changing patterns and prevalence of methamphetamine use and the implications for the clinical management of patients in primary care settings. These included:

• The untapped potential for primary and secondary prevention
• Identifying greater scope for using early intervention primary care settings
• The importance of assessing and addressing patients’ poly drug use in addition to focusing on crystal methamphetamine.

Feedback from the workshop organisers indicated that Ann’s presentation was very favourably received by both organisers and participants and highlighted a need for additional workshops to be conducted.