Disaster Management
Information for North Coast health professionals
In the event of a natural disaster or emergency, the Healthy North Coast Disaster Management Framework and Disaster Management Action Plan guide our preparation, response and recovery activities. This framework is accompanied by a suite of internal procedures that support our staff.
Readiness
Our region experiences a range of natural disasters including floods, bushfires, drought and pandemics. These emergencies can pose a risk to business continuity in general practice. It is a requirement of the RACGP Standards for General Practice that practices compile and maintain an emergency response plan. Our Primary Care Impact preparedness activity helps practices prepare for emergencies and support business continuity by developing and regularly reviewing an emergency response plan.
Links:
Tips for being better prepared
- Develop an up-to-date emergency response plan.
- Exercise your plan on a regular basis.
- Contact other primary health care providers in your area to connect and offer mutual support.
- Have a plan in place to send communications to patients about service disruptions or changes.
Primary Care Regional Managers
We deeply appreciate our frontline partners in primary care and the broader health sector.
For organisations and professionals seeking support or information from Healthy North Coast, our Primary Care Regional Managers serve as the first point of contact. They provide dedicated support to primary care professionals and organisations, overseeing specific areas across the North Coast region.
In times of emergency or disasters our Primary Care Regional Managers will be your point of contact at Healthy North Coast.
View Primary Care Regional Managers contact information.
Training and resources
The following resources can help you and your staff prepare for emergencies and respond effectively in times of crisis.
Response
Healthy North Coast offers a range of resources to support health professionals and the community respond in emergency situations.
North Coast Health Connect
North Coast Health Connect offers 24/7 confidential medical advice from registered nurses free, with no out of pocket costs via phone or web chat. North Coast Health Connect can connect you to a face-to-face or virtual bulk-billed GP appointment if needed. Call 1800 198 888 Â
We are open - General Practice, AMS, and Pharmacies extended hours support
We Are Open – supports general practice, AMSs and pharmacies to open for additional hours at short notice, during an emergency or environmental disaster and in the immediate recovery. This initiative applies only to affected areas and to additional hours the practice would not normally provide until 22 March 2025.
Does your General Practice, Aboriginal Medical Service or Pharmacy need assistance to stay open longer during an emergency or disaster?
Help may be available. Learn more.
Express your interest in being a part of the mobile health response.​
Healthy North Coast is working closely with the Department of Community and Justice (DCJ) and the Local Health Districts to assess the health needs of people staying at evacuation centres.
Ideally, anyone needing medical or mental health support during evacuation would access telehealth services or leave the evacuation centre to attend clinics or services that are still open and can maintain quality and patient safety at their normal premises.
HealthPathways
HealthPathways offers health professionals local information to make the right decisions together with patients, at the point of care.
The pathways are designed primarily for general practice teams, but are also available to specialists, allied health professionals, and other health professionals in your region.
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Five localised HealthPathways have been developed to provide the information you need during the preparation, response and recovery stages of a disaster:Â
- Preparing a General Practice for a Disaster – A succinct guide to developing a disaster response plan is available on the pathway Â
- Preparing a Patient for a Disaster – Covers suggested actions, resources and advice for patients to prepare in the lead-up to an extreme weather event. Â
- Disaster Management – General Practice Response – Provides information about how to get local updates, resources for practices that are operating, and considerations for clinicians volunteering in an evacuation centre. There are instructions for accessing a patients’ My Health Record through the National Provider portal and advice about vaccination and medication safety.Â
- Post Natural Disaster Health – Common health and mental health presentations are addressed in pathway, including management of infectious diseases of concern. There are links to patient information resources around various topics depending on the disaster scenario. Â
- Disaster Support – Lists financial, psychosocial and other supports for community members and for affected practices and health professionals.Â
Keep up to date with relevant alerts and warnings during a disaster
Recovery
Health professionals play a critical role in supporting individuals and communities to recover after natural disasters and other emergencies. People affected by recent natural disasters and the COVID-19 pandemic across the North Coast can seek information and support here:
Mental health support
Disasters can affect everyone in the community and mental health needs often emerge in the months following a disaster. If a community member needs mental health support, there are services ready to help people through the difficult times.
Additional information and support for community members can be found here.
Training and resources
The following resources can help you and your staff provide the best care for community members recovering from disasters.Â
The Primary Care Flood Reflections report capture insights from flood response and the role of primary health care in disaster recovery. Read more here.
