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Further push for ‘better GP integration’ in disaster management
Long after a disaster ends, GPs remain as an integral community support. But how can their role be better integrated and recognised?
GPs play a crucial role in equipping communities with the knowledge and resources to prepare for natural disasters, one expert says.
Having experienced first-hand a major disaster, GP Dr Michelle Hamrosi felt ‘completely unprepared’ for the challenges she and her Eurobodalla, south coast New South Wales, community faced.
‘Over several weeks, we endured relentless fire threats as more than 80% of our shire burned, resulting in the loss of 500 homes, two lives, and widespread devastation,’ she told newsGP.
‘We experienced prolonged power and phone outages, major road closures, and critical shortages of food, water, and medical supplies. The air was thick with hazardous smoke, temperatures were extreme, and half of our shire was under boil water notices.
‘Our general practice reopened as a walk-in clinic without power or phone services, doing whatever we could to provide care. One of our GPs lost her home and had to start over.
‘The long-term health consequences were profound. I witnessed the toll on families – especially those with infants and young children – who had little structured support.’
Even now, five years later, she said her community is still recovering, but this experience armed her with the determination to ‘create something positive out of the hardship’.
For the past three years, Dr Hamrosi has worked within her community to improve disaster preparedness and response, particularly for the youngest and most vulnerable, through the Australian Breastfeeding Association’s (ABA) Community protection for infants and young children in bushfire emergencies project.
The ABA has developed a comprehensive suite of free resources to enhance disaster preparedness and response, bridging the planning gap for families with infants and young children.
Off the back of this research, Dr Hamrosi proposed a disaster-focused edition of the Australian Journal of General Practice (AJGP), from there, doctors working in disaster medicine and research were invited to contribute.
‘My goal was simple: to help GPs be better prepared so that no one would have to feel as unprepared as I did,’ she said.
Now published, the latest issue of AJGP focuses on disaster management, and Dr Hamrosi is joined by guest editorial co-authors, GP disaster management expert Dr Penny Burns and former Deputy Chief Medical officer Professor Michael Kidd.
They highlight that while the majority of disaster-related health impacts are manageable within general practice, the value of GPs’ contribution has ‘been slow to be recognised’.
Heatwaves, floods, bushfires, droughts and destructive storms continue to impact communities across Australia. And as North Queensland experiences destructive floods and regional Victoria a month-long fire-fighting campaign, the vital role of GPs in disaster management is in the spotlight.
In recent weeks, Australia has witnessed GPs helping their communities, not just medically, but offering helping hands wherever possible.
But GPs’ role in disaster management extends beyond natural disasters, from pandemic response to violent crimes, the authors say, and GPs often ‘remain after other responders have left’.
‘Being prepared isn’t just about responding when disaster strikes – it’s about equipping our communities with the knowledge and resources to protect themselves beforehand,’ Dr Hamrosi said.
‘As GPs, we play a crucial role in making that happen. [We] are often on the frontline when disasters strike – whether it’s a bushfire, flood, storm, or extreme heat event.
‘However, disasters don’t just affect our patients; they impact us, our families, and our clinics as well.’
Dr Michelle Hamrosi’s experience with a natural disaster in her community motivated her to create ‘something positive out of the hardship’.
Since 2019, an estimated 84% of Australians report being directly affected by at least one climate-related disaster, outside of the COVID-19 pandemic, with the undeniable mental health impacts and GPs’ role in supporting these explored in AJGP.
‘All communities affected by these incidents have local GPs who experience these events doubly; as local residents and as local healthcare professionals, expected by their distressed injured patients, to show leadership and provide care and advice,’ the paper states.
The RACGP has long called for GPs to be better utilised in disaster health planning and response systems, after inconsistencies or delays in their involvement, or being overlooked.
Dr Hamrosi said the best way GPs can support their communities is by preparing ahead of time, which includes:
- developing a practice disaster plan to ensure continuity of care during crises
- recognising the unique health challenges disasters create and what GPs can do to identify and educate patients at risk
- advocating for GP involvement in disaster planning and response to ensure general practice is integrated into local disaster management frameworks.
‘I encourage GPs to reflect on disaster preparedness across all aspects of their work,’ she said.
‘Is your practice disaster-ready? Are you communicating preparedness to your patients? Can you integrate disaster readiness into routine consultations, especially for high-risk groups? Can you advocate for greater GP involvement in disaster response?
‘Engage with your Primary Health Network or local disaster management teams to push for better GP integration.’
Documenting the state of Australian general practice in disasters, and development of both local and international systems, the
AJGP disaster management issue aims to acknowledge GPs and GP researchers in this field, and ‘provide them with a voice.’
‘Systems of disaster health management are changing and GPs are integral to the new planning – it is time to get prepared,’ the authors write.
Dr Hamrosi added that as trusted sources of health information, GPs play a key role in community preparedness.
‘We can help patients plan for disasters by sharing essential messages through our clinics, local media, and patient resources,’ she said.
‘Ultimately, keeping our doors open during a disaster – by whatever means possible – ensures that primary healthcare remains accessible when people need it most.’
RACGP resources
A
‘Disaster management and mpox update’ webinar will also be hosted on 27 February. Designed to complement the disaster management edition of
AJGP, RACGP Victoria has collaborated with the Department of Health and Aged Care to provide practical insights to strengthen GPs’ preparedness and enhance patient care during crises, as well as provide the latest public health advice for mpox.
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