It is the responsibility of participants to secure their own Advanced Skills Mentor. Mentors do not need to be GPs. They can be any health professional that is registered with AHPRA that has an expertise in treatment of AOD use.
For most applicants, the easiest way to secure an Advanced Skills Mentor will be to approach a colleague from your practice or a GP in your region who is experienced in supporting patients experiencing problems with their AOD use.
Alternatively consider approaching your local AOD treatment service provider. The RACGP has a template letter to an individual or an organisation to assist with this process.
Other possible Mentors:
- Clinical Nurse Practitioner
- Addiction Medicine Specialist
- Psychologist
- Psychiatrist
- Pain Medicine Specialist
- Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander Health worker
- Pharmacist that dispenses buprenorphine/naloxone and methadone
When approaching a potential Mentor, please provide them with a copy or link to the RACGP Quick Reference Guide for Mentors.
GPs treating Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, practicing in rural and remote areas or in custodial medicine will be able to request support from the RACGP to find a suitable Advanced Skills Mentor if required.
I’ve been asked to be an Advanced Skills Mentor. What am I being asked to do?
A potential Advanced Skills Mentor could be an AOD expert professional who is registered with AHPRA.
As a Mentor, you will be required to support a participant to develop and implement their 20 hour AOD personalised learning plan. This will require a minimum of 6 hours of your time during October 2020 to May 2021.
As a Mentor you will receive a one-off reimbursement payment of $1,500 (including superannuation and subject to relevant taxation) for supporting an Advanced Skills participant to complete the program as their Mentor. Participants will receive a one-off payment of $2,500 for completing Advanced Skills Training.
If a Mentor has capacity, they are able to support up to 3 Advanced Skills participants.
Potential Mentors are encouraged to download a copy of the RACGP Quick Reference Guide for Mentors.