Appendix J. Process of guide development

Guideline development and clinical governance

The RACGP convened a GP-led advisory group, drawing on GP members with expertise and experience in drugs of dependence, guideline development and clinical governance. A literature search and narrative review was conducted. Key resources and guidelines for clinical governance arrangements and prescribing addictive medications were sought from the English literature. Current Australian drug policy, strategies and position statements were also collated and reviewed. In addition to a literature search, guidance was also sought from the RACGP’s Standards for general practices (4th edition) and issues were identified using the RACGP Quality Framework. Barriers and enablers to improving quality of prescribing addictive medicines were identified across each of the Quality Framework domains of capacity, competence, financing, knowledge and information management, patient focus and professionalism.