General practitioners in bushfire affected areas of Victoria are urged to access resources specifically designed to assist in the response and recovery efforts of disasters.
The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) is committed to supporting GPs in bushfire affected areas of Victoria as they continue to provide essential medical services to their communities.
The resources have been prepared to enable general practice to prepare for, respond to, and recover from the impact of emergencies and pandemics.
RACGP President, Dr Liz Marles, said in an emergency demand for healthcare services will rise.
“Disasters can have a profound impact on the population of an affected community’s health and wellbeing, causing injury – both short-term and long-term – and death. People affected by disasters can also have an increased risk of mental health and social problems.
“GPs and practice teams are at the forefront of medical care, providing access to quality healthcare services on a daily basis and are best placed to provide healthcare support for communities during and immediately following a disaster.
“It is just as important for patients to be well prepared for these events by ensuring simple measures such as preparing medicine, scripts and records in advance, monitoring stress levels and taking special precautions against injury and disease are addressed,” said Dr Marles.
The RACGP disaster response resources can be accessed on the RACGP website.