GP Resources

Around one in five Australian adults will meet criteria for an alcohol use disorder in their lifetime, and alcohol-induced deaths remain near their highest levels in a decade. Yet fewer than 3% of Australians with AUD receive a PBS-listed medication for it despite two first-line medicines that are safe, effective, streamlined-authority PBS items.

In this one hour webinar, Clean Slate Clinic clinicians Dr Chris Davis (Addiction Medicine Specialist and GP) and Colin Fearns (Prescribing Pharmacist) walk through the practical pharmacotherapy of AUD for Australian practice: who to assess and how; when planned withdrawal is needed and when it isn't; how to choose between acamprosate, naltrexone and disulfiram; how to prescribe and monitor safely; when to refer; and what the emerging GLP-1 evidence does, and does not, show.

This session provides a practical introduction to alcohol and its effects on physical and mental health. While alcohol use is common across Australia and globally, the ways it impacts the brain, body, and behaviour are not always well understood.

‍

In this webinar, Clean Slate Clinic’s clinical team provides a clear overview of how alcohol functions as a chemical in the body, how it affects the brain and nervous system, and why it can become difficult to cut down or stop.

‍

In this session we explore the development of alcohol use disorder as a chronic and treatable health condition, outline how it is diagnosed, and review key statistics to help place individual experiences in a broader context.

‍

This webinar also highlights how understanding alcohol can reduce shame, strengthen motivation, and support more informed, compassionate approaches to recovery.

SMART Recovery is an evidence-based, CBT-informed, skills-focused approach to addiction recovery that supports people to build motivation, manage cravings, and sustain behaviour change. While offered widely across community settings, its framework is not yet consistently understood in general practice care.

‍

In this webinar, Clean Slate Clinic’s Dr Chris Davis and Georgina Moore, and SMART Recovery Australia’s Daniel Raffell provide a clear overview of what SMART Recovery is and how it fits within contemporary addiction care.

‍

In this session we outline the Four Pillars framework, introduce practical CBT tools used in SMART Recovery, and clarify when and how referral to SMART Recovery can complement GP-led medical management.

‍

This webinar also introduces Yarn SMART, a culturally responsive adaptation for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

An estimated 15–20% of Australians are neurodivergent, and research shows they face a significantly higher risk of developing alcohol and other substance use disorders. Yet most clinical services aren’t designed with neurodiverse needs in mind, creating extra barriers to accessing care.

In this webinar, Clean Slate Clinic’s Dr Bronwyn Hudson and Dr Chris Davis explore the critical intersection of neurodiversity and addiction. They unpack the neurobiological and psychosocial mechanisms that increase risk, complicate treatment, and shape recovery outcomes - and share practical insights for delivering inclusive, effective, and stigma-free care.

‍

Alcohol use among midlife women is on the rise, but it’s a topic that’s often overlooked in clinical care. It’s not just about "wine o’clock", the reality is far more complex - driven by a mix of social, economic, and hormonal factors that many healthcare professionals may not fully recognise. In this webinar. we explore the complex relationship between alcohol use and menopause in collaboration with Metluma - delivered by Dr Bronwyn Hudson and Dr Nicole Avard.

Associated Resources:

Metluma UMA40 Symptom Tracker: This tracker covers 40 key symptoms, providing individuals with a holistic view of how peri-/menopause may be impacting their body and mind. Upon completion, the individual will receive a personalised score, giving them a clear starting point for managing symptoms and having richer conversations with health professionals.

‍

Sleep disturbances are some of the most common and challenging issues faced by individuals with alcohol dependence - both during withdrawal and in long-term recovery. In this webinar, we explore the complex relationship between alcohol and sleep to enable enhanced patient care.

This webinar - hosted by Dr Bronwyn Hudson and facilitated by Dr Chris Davis, covers essential terminology for cannabis and its variants, explores short and long-term effects, and delves into practical harm reduction strategies. We also introduce our Clean Slate Clinic protocol for withdrawal management, discussing our evidence-based screening process, treatment approaches, and eligibility criteria.

This webinar delves into the potential benefits and considerations of incorporating alcohol-free options into a client's recovery journey, featuring expert insights from Dr. Ian Guinan and personal experiences from Chris Gimpel, offering a comprehensive look at life after detox and the role of zero-alcohol products.

This Clean Slate Clinic webinar explores the role of shame in alcohol and other dependence, and the practical strategies that can be deployed to tackle shame, including:

Understanding Shame: We delve into the psychological underpinnings of shame and its pervasive impact on behavior and self-perception.

Shame and Drinking: We explore how shame can both trigger and be exacerbated by alcohol consumption.

Sobriety and Self-Compassion: We discuss strategies to overcome shame in the pursuit of sobriety and a healthier, more fulfilling life.

Real Stories, Real Change: We share firsthand experiences from those who have navigated these challenges.

‍

Dr Carl Erik Fisher describes his personal and professional journeys to gaining a deeper understanding of addiction, and how we can learn from thousands of years of experience of this very human condition.

Our Clinical Team explore different options for withdrawal and why home detox is the gold standard.

Our Clinical Team address the management of comorbidities in Substance Use Disorder

This recorded webinar provides an overview of the Clean Slate Clinic program, and challenges and opportunities in providing this service to regional and remote Australia.

‍

Our Clinical Team answer the Top FAQs about Home Alcohol Detox for Health Practitioners

‍

With the recent update of the National Guidelines for the Treatment of Alcohol Problems, this webinar will provide an introduction on how best to deliver alcohol treatment effectively to patients in the general practice setting, based on the latest Guidelines evidence.

A practical guide to alcohol home detox for GP'sAlcohol and drug dependence remain major health and social problems in Australia, contributing significantly to the global burden of disease and the everyday practice of primary care. Following this webinar you will be able to more confidently assess patients who are using alcohol to determine their level of dependency and gauge their suitability for GP-led home withdrawal management (detox). You will be better able to explain the components of structured home detox as well and will better understand how to conduct a post detox review and develop effective recovery plans.

A practical guide to alcohol home detox for GPs and further information about the telehealth model.

Alcohol and drug dependence remain major health and social problems in Australia, contributing significantly to the global burden of disease and the everyday practice of primary care.   Primary care has a critical role to play in the support and management of individuals with mild to moderate alcohol disorder

‍