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Brief overview of SUDs in Australia. Substance use (SU) is a preventable cause of morbidity and mortality in Australia, with widespread economic, social and health impacts (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare [AIHW], 2025a). According to available data, more than 10 million people in Australia have used illicit substances in their lifetime (AIHW, 2025b), with over 600 000 people meeting the criteria for a substance use disorder (AIHW, 2025c). This highlights the impo

In this regional/rural health service, the current Nurse Practitioner (NP) position to treat SUDs with pharmacotherapy or withdrawal management in the community is based on a medical model. This process is lengthy, involving multiple steps before patients are seen to be treated. It can take weeks to months before patients are seen by a doctor or NP. Overview of the intake and assessment process. Currently the model of care in this health service for people to access trea

After examining the evidence on the structural barriers to access treatment for SUDs, learning about NP-led models for SUDs in Australia and the success of rapid-access to treatment clinics overseas, the following project pitch is proposed using the PICO (Richardson et al., 1995) format: Can a Nurse Practitioner-led  rapid-access clinic improve access and outcomes  in community-based treatment for adults with substance use disorders compared to standard of care in a rural