Prepare
Ensuring your general practice or primary health care service is prepared to respond to a disaster or emergency is critical and emergency plans are a legal requirement for all businesses.
Business continuity planning resources and tips are provided below to help you consider and plan for unexpected disruptions to your clinic, staff, and patients or clients.
Plan for emergencies
Develop an emergency management plan. The Australian Government’s business.gov.au website offers templates and guidance on developing your business continuity plan, an emergency action plan, and a recovery plan.
General practices should refer to the RACGP’s guidance on creating an emergency response plan for GP practices as per the Standards for General Practice - Criterion C3.3.
Have an emergency kit ready.
If you’re a doctor, have a doctor's bag ready to go.
Use the disaster preparedness checklist to help your practice plan for disaster.
Tips for general practices
Consider contacting other primary health care providers in your local area to connect and agree on how to offer mutual support to your community in the event of disaster.
Have a patient or client communication plan with key messages and guidance on how you will communicate about service disruptions or changes.
Ensure processes are in place to record patient contact details and regularly confirm with patients that their contact details are up to date in your system.
Consider how your practice or service will assist at-risk patients during natural disaster or emergency events.