Key recommendations for the inclusion of general practitioners into evacuation centres
Access to usual medical care needs to be maintained during emergencies and disasters. Supporting general practices in disaster-impacted areas to remain open will help ensure people can continue to access the care they need in a safe, familiar and timely manner, where possible. In addition, evacuation centres become temporary critical infrastructure during some emergencies and disasters, and aim to provide access to medical care for evacuees. GPs and their teams can play a vital role in providing that care.
As PHNs are increasingly taking on more responsibility in disaster planning and response, Key recommendations for the inclusion of general practitioners into evacuation centres sets out how PHNs can support GPs in these two areas. It is hoped the recommendations in this guide will be useful for other agencies involved in disaster planning and response and contribute to national consistency across PHNs, as well as states and territories, to improve engagement and support of GPs working in evacuation centres.
This document is not intended to be prescriptive or compliance oriented. It does not replace existing evacuation centre advice or guidance and is not intended to replace the processes of other supporting disaster response agencies. It is intended to provide best practice recommendations to ensure GPs can operate in a safe environment, within their professional scope, as an integrated part of the healthcare team. It details the resources required by GPs to support the comprehensive biopsychosocial healthcare needs of people seeking care at an evacuation centre.
For the purposes of this document, the following terms may be used interchangeably:
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