The ANMF (Victorian Branch) welcomed the release of the Victorian Alcohol and Other Drugs Strategy 2025-2035 in December 2025.
The highly anticipated strategy maps a holistic 10-year path to reform Victoria’s AOD system to reduce the incidence and impact of AOD-related harms. This includes a system that is more coordinated, connected and culturally responsive. Ultimately, it envisions a system that can meet the needs of the approximately 40,000 Victorians who seek support with AOD-related issues each year.
Importantly, the strategy incorporates ANMF feedback that working towards reducing alcohol- and other drug-related harm and stigma requires a health-led approach.
This strategy outlines five focus areas, with five enablers:
Policy and funding
Without appropriate policy and funding, a fit-for-purpose system moves further out of reach. The strategy outlines a commitment to ensure funding models enable high quality supports that meet people’s diverse needs and do not impede continuous improvement and innovation.
The ANMF understands from members that, in some services, a revised funding approach is required to ensure that AOD services can continue to provide consistent, timely and quality nursing care.
Workforce
The ANMF welcomes the recognition that workforce is a key enabler to achieve the goals of the strategy – and notes that it acknowledges the difficulty in attracting and retaining staff within the sector. Additionally, ANMF acknowledges that there is inequity between the public sector and private sector wages and that inconsistent conditions and entitlements across the sector continue to be a barrier to recruiting and retraining nurses and midwives in the AOD sector.
As the largest healthcare workforce, nurses and midwives are well placed to support and provide care to persons experiencing drug and alcohol issues. This can be achieved in different areas of practice and across the professional lifespan from early career to advanced practice. However, this requires pipeline initiatives, secure career pathways to advanced practice, professional development opportunities and equitable wages and conditions.
Education and training
Since 2016 the ANMF, in partnership with Eastern Health Turning Point and funded by the Victorian government, has presented specialist AOD training options with positive feedback from nursing and midwifery participants who have integrated their learning into their practice. Importantly, the feedback reflects that increased knowledge in the AOD sector leads to a less stigmatised patient cohort and promotes a truly health-led approach.
ANMF continues to advocate for changes to the undergraduate curriculum to include AOD training, and for wider access to quality AOD clinical placements and AOD rotations during graduate nurse/midwife programs. We are also seeking that the state government review the opportunities available in the AOD space – including extending the registered undergraduate student of nursing (RUSON) model into AOD and for more grants and supported candidacy to increase the number of AOD nurse practitioner positions, especially in regional Victoria.
Next steps
In light of the release of the strategy, ANMF will focus our engagement with ANMF Job Representatives and nurse and midwife members regarding the above-mentioned inequities between public sector and private sector wages including through enterprise bargaining and seeking to increase award wages (through our Federal Office Work Value Case currently underway), which would benefit AOD nurses working in primary care, among other settings.
