Dialogue Volume 13 Issue 2 2017 | Page 15

reports from council Council adopts strategy to tackle opioid crisis C This is an overview of the discussions and decisions made at the May Council meeting. ouncil has launched a wide-ranging strategy to tackle the opioid crisis; one that puts public and patient safety at the forefront. In discussing the strategy, Coun- cil noted that it has taken 20 years for the current crisis to develop and quick fixes and easy answers will not work. Council’s strategy recognizes that resources, collabo- ration with different groups and a steadfast commitment to improved patient and public safety are neces- sary in order to prevail. Council’s strategy will see several of the College’s key responsibili- ties – guidance of the profession, assessment and investigation – play significant roles in advancing efforts to ensure appropriate prescribing. The overall objectives of the Col- lege’s opioid initiative are to: •  Facilitate safe and appropriate opioid prescribing by physicians to patients, • Protect patient access to care, and •  Reduce risk to both patients and the public. Key to this strategy’s success will be providing physicians with the information and guidance they need. This will include updating our Prescribing Drugs policy to incorporate elements of the recently released Canadian Guideline for Opioids for Chronic Non-Cancer Pain. The strategy will also see the College continue focused metha- done assessments and we will work toward expanding the focus of assessments to opioid prescribing through the Quality Assurance Issue 2, 2017 Dialogue 15