Health Professional Disaster Management and Resilience

Planning, Response and Recovery

Disasters and emergencies are increasing in prevalence and impact, and the Gold Coast region has a relatively high level of exposure to extreme weather events.

Plan and ensure you are ready for the impact of disasters on your practice and patients.

There are a range of resources for health professionals to prepare for, respond to and recover from natural disasters as well as resources to help you to support your community.

Upcoming Events

There are a number of events being held on the Gold Coast, to support health professionals, first responders and community organisations, plan, prepare, respond and recover from disasters.

Click here to view training opportunities designed in collaboration with Gold Coast Primary Health Network, Gold Coast Health, the Department of Treaty, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnership, Communities and the Arts and the City of Gold Coast.

Click here for upcoming emergency management training modules, hosted by Queensland Fire and Emergency Services. (QFES)

Disaster management and business continuity planning resources

• Information Resources for Queensland Disaster Management
• RACGP – Managing emergencies and pandemics and Managing emergencies in general practice guide.
• GC HealthPathways
• Pharmacy Guild of Australia – Pandemic planning and guidelines.
• Australian Government – How to prepare an emergency management plan.
• Queensland Government – Preparing your business for natural disasters and Business continuity planning.
• City of Gold Coast Business Disaster Resilience Network- Join the Business Disaster Resilience Network.
• City of Gold Coast Disaster and Emergency Dashboard.
• City of Gold Coast Preparing for natural disaster.
• Tweed Shire Council Emergency Planning.
• Tweed Shire Council Emergency Management Business Continuity Plan.
• Australian Disaster Resilience Emergency Planning Resources.
• Gold Coast Emergency Contact List.
• Emerging Minds Community Trauma Toolkit General practitioners.
• Lifeline Recovering After a natural Disaster Natural disaster.
• Department of Health and Aged Care Head to Health Welcome to Head to Health.
• Australian Psychological Society Psychological First Aid: A guide to supporting people affected by disaster.
• Phoenix Australia: Bushfire Recovery Project
• Beyond Blue Bushfire Support

Disaster management considerations

Mitigation and preparedness

• Develop and maintain an up-to-date emergency response plan.
• Exercise your plan on a regular basis.
• Contact other practices in your local area and discuss how you can offer mutual support.
• Have a plan in place to send communications to patients about service disruptions or changes.
• Update medication lists and health care plans – with consideration to impacts of compounding disasters (e.g. pandemic x floods).
• Have a system in place to routinely capture and confirm every patient’s current contact details.
• Ensure that patients with a My Health Record have current information recorded and an up to date shared health summary where appropriate.
• Where appropriate, take steps to encourage patients to have an in-person appointment to ensure continued telehealth eligibility.

Response during a disaster

• Consider extending opening hours to accommodate an increase in patient demand.
• Communicate to patients any changes to access or open hours and/or reinforce continued access.
• Regularly visit and follow alert and warning updates sites (below).

Recovery from a disaster

• Review and identify lessons learnt.
• Communicate with patients about return to normal business hours.
• Identify community population health needs post disaster and develop campaigns to address emerging needs e.g. focus on mental health assessments.
• Identify and reach out to patients with increased vulnerability factors.
• Connect with and refer to local social and community support agencies.

Useful links

Alerts and warnings:

• Bureau of Meteorology Queensland Warnings.
• Queensland Fire and Emergency Services.
• Queensland Government Warnings and Emergency Alerts.
• Gold Coast disaster and emergency dashboard alerts.
• ABC local radio and frequency finder.
• Qld Traffic Road Updates Road Condition Information

Queensland Health disaster management resources:

• Queensland Health’s role in a disaster or emergency incident, including incident plans and hazard-specific sub-plans.
• Public health advice for disaster management, including evacuation centre guidelines, health information and fact sheets.
  • Health advice for emergency response workers.
  • Use and disposal of medicines after a disaster.
• Resources to support disaster resilience for children.

Cold Chain Breach

• GCPHU Hot Topic: Cold Chain Breaches