ACT opioids review to be complete in six weeks, after 'robust' meeting

Ms Fitzharris held a 'frank and robust' meeting with senior ACT Health staff on Monday, after The Canberra Times revealed the five year-long delay to the review last week.

She said the meeting on Monday was held to ensure the review of the ACT's opioid treatment guidelines "will conclude within the next six weeks".

"While the conversation was frank and robust, I was pleased to leave that meeting with confidence this review will now be finished quickly and professionally," she said.

The long-delayed review was debated during assembly Question Time on Wednesday, with the minister taking numerous Opposition questions on notice.

Ms Fitzharris said the government would now complete an internal review, rather than consult with a key community advisory committee that oversees the guidelines, before it is completed.

While the minister previously said she was not briefly directly about the delay, it is understood she also did not request one from the directorate since taking the office last October.

It is understood a draft of the reviewed guidelines was completed last year, but has not been finalised or signed off.

She also said she asked the health directorate to also update her on all the ACT's health policies and whether they were out of date - after other recent reports highlighting a failure to update the territory's key alcohol and drug strategy this week.

It remains unclear why Ms Fitzharris, as the responsible minister, did not request such information upon taking the office.

Ms Fitzharris said she still did not know why the guidelines had not been updated in the three years since national guidelines were updated in 2014, a key issue the government has not answered questions about to date.

"As I have mentioned previously, while I am disappointed with the delays I understand the current guidelines still provide clear clinical guidance regarding opioid treatment," she said.