General practice - what you need to do

Page contents: Plan for your practice | Government plans | Avian flu & pandemic flu summary & checklist

An influenza flu pandemic is a real threat which requires careful planning in the areas of clinical work, infection control and communication. General practice will be in the front line of Victoria’s response.

This information kit and workplan is designed to help you develop and implement a pandemic flu plan in your practice. Your plan will need to adapt and change as new evidence comes to hand. While we don’t know when an influenza pandemic will happen, we do know that it will be too late to start planning when the first person with suspected H5N1 human influenza walks into your practice.

This information kit and workplan for general practice was developed by the Department of Human Services (DHS) in collaboration with General Practice Divisions Victoria, Australian Medical Association (Victoria), Royal Australian College Of General Practitioners, and Australian Practice Nurses Association.

Further information and support in developing your general practice pandemic plan is available from the Communicable Disease Control Unit, phone 1300 651 160 or email infectious.diseases@dhs.vic.gov.au.

Plan for your practice

Start now:

• Step 1: read through this workplan – it is set out in the different phases from the current situation to a pandemic
• Step 2: decide who will coordinate flu planning in your practice
• Step 3: start planning now for all the phases

Government plans

Helpful information is contained in the Victorian and Australian government plans which provide a framework for all pandemic planning.

Provided by the Victorian Government Department of Human Services:

• Victorian Influenza Pandemic Plan

Provided by the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing:

• The Australian Health Management Plan for Pandemic influenza

Avian flu & pandemic flu summary & checklist

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