Emergency management for primary care

Adelaide PHN is committed to supporting primary care providers across metropolitan Adelaide to prepare for, respond to and recover from emergencies and disasters.

Emergency management for primary care

Adelaide is increasingly prone to an array of potentially devastating emergencies and disasters of both natural and manmade origin. Risks include extreme heat, bushfires, smoke events, storms, floods, infectious disease outbreaks, as well as service disruptions caused by events such as cyber-attacks and power outages.

Emergencies can disrupt practice access and infrastructure, essential systems, supplies, staffing and patient demand. Being prepared will help, maximise outcomes for staff, community and business.

Adelaide PHN’s approach to emergency management is guided by the State Emergency Management Plan and our relationships with emergency management stakeholders including the Department for Health and Wellbeing (SA Health).

Being prepared will support your practice to respond effectively to emergencies and disasters.

Develop, test and maintain an Emergency Response Plan (a requirement for RACGP’s Standards for General Practices, 6th edition).
Keep up to date with relevant alerts and warnings.
Identify patients who may be at higher risk during emergencies and consider proactive education or communication.
Prepare a communication plan for changes to opening hours, appointment availability, telehealth options and service disruptions.
Review cold chain procedures and have a backup plan in place for short-term and extended power outages.
Register with Provider Connect Australia to help keep practice and practitioner details current.
Resources
Emergency Response Planning Guide: How to create an Emergency Response Plan: RACGP - Emergency response planning
Emergency planning tools and information: RACGP - Managing emergencies and pandemics
Webinar: Preparing your practice for extreme weather events RACGP - Preparing your practice for extreme weather events
Australian Warning System: Australian Warning System
Alert SA app: Alert SA
National Vaccine storage Guidelines, “Strive for 5” National Vaccine Storage Guidelines ‘Strive for 5’ | Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing
SA Health Immunisation Section, Cold Chain Toolkit SA Health Immunisation Section
healthdirect Video Call service Video Call | Healthdirect Australia
Provider Connect Australia Digital health initiatives | Adelaide PHN

Primary care providers play an essential role in supporting the health and wellbeing of the community during emergencies and natural disasters. Demand for healthcare services can increase significantly, which may disrupt usual practice operations.

Assess situation and activate your Emergency Response Plan if required.
Follow alert and warning updates.
Where possible stay open during an emergency. Consider extending practice opening hours if there is an increase in patient demand.
Communicate service changes to patients through healthdirect Service Finder, online booking systems, social media, your practice website, phone messages and signage.
Consider Telehealth options and check eligibility arrangements for designated disaster areas.
Report cold chain breaches to the Immunisation Section of SA Health. Vaccine storage | SA Health

Keeping up to date during a disaster

Alert SA App: Alert SA
BOM: Discover your weather | The Bureau of Meteorology
ABC Radio: Stream Your Favourite Local & National Radio Stations - ABC listen
ABC Emergency: ABC Emergency
CFS: South Australian Country Fire Service
MFS Public Warnings MFS Public Warnings | Metropolitan Fire Service
Traffic SA: Traffic SA - Department for Infrastructure and Transport
Electricity, gas phone and water outages: SA.GOV.AU - Electricity, gas, phone and water outages

Primary Care providers play a key role in supporting people and communities to recover after natural disasters and other emergencies. Recovery can be complex and long running but gives the opportunity to ‘build back better’ to avoid or reduce future risk and improve practice resilience.

Update practice opening hour details.
Recall patients who missed appointments or could not access full services due to the disaster or emergency.
Debrief with staff about what worked well and what could be improved. Document lessons learned and update your Emergency Response Plan.
Support patient and staff wellbeing, including referral to appropriate mental health and recovery services.

Resources:

Information for GPs in disaster-affected areas RACGP - Natural disasters
Recovery SA: Recovery | Recovery
After hours care: Find After Hours Care | Adelaide PHN
Emerging Minds: Resources - Emerging Minds
Phoenix Australia Disaster Mental Health Hub Resources - Phoenix Australia Disaster Mental Health Hub

Lifeline on 13 43 57 (13HELP)
Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636
Medicare Mental Health on 1800 595 212
13YARN on 13 92 76
Men’s Line on 1300 78 99 78
Lifeline Text on 0477 13 11 14
Kids Helpline on 1800 551 800 (children under 12 years)
Open Arms – Veteran Family and Counselling on 1800 011 046
Older Persons Advocacy Network on1800 700 600.

Adelaide PHN Commissioned Primary Mental Health Services

Adelaide PHN commissions a range of free mental health services Primary Mental Health Care Services | Adelaide PHN

The Northern Adelaide Medicare Mental Health Centre- WALK- IN Support.

Immediate, walk-in mental health support. No appointment or referral needed.

7 Oldham Road, Elizabeth South, SA 5112

Open – Monday -Friday 8.30am -10.30pm, Saturday and Sunday 12pm -6.30pm, Public holidays, 12pm -6.30pm

GP support program: RACGP - The GP support program
Nurse and Midwife Support: Support for Nurses & Midwives | Your health matters
Nurse Midwife Health program Australia Peer support counselling - Nurse Midwife Health Program Australia
TEN – The Essential Network for Health Professionals TEN – The Essential Network for Health Professionals - Black Dog Institute | Better Mental Health

Adelaide PHN can support your practice with up-to-date information and resources before, during and after a health emergency. Please reach out to the team via email or telephone (8219 5900).

Digital Health team can support you to deliver digital health services and safeguard your electronic health systems. Please reach out to the team via email or telephone (8219 5900).

HealthPathways SA is an online portal for General Practitioners and other health professionals to gain easy access to comprehensive, evidence-based assessment, management and referral pathways for specific health conditions.

Emergency management for primary care