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GPs are an underutilised workforce in a disaster: RACGP
With warnings of a potentially severe bushfire season, the college has urged policymakers to make the RACGP a key partner in emergency planning.
There are fears bushfires could again be prevalent this year, putting pressure on emergency responses. (Image: AAP/ Evan Collis)
General practice is an underused and often poorly coordinated workforce in a disaster, according to RACGP feedback to the Federal Government.
The criticism is included in a college response to a Department of Home Affairs and National Emergency Management Agency discussion paper, Alternative Commonwealth Capabilities for Crisis Response.
The college’s standpoint, published shortly after the Bureau of Meteorology’s declaration of El Niño, includes the following recommendations for change:
- Make the RACGP a key national partner of the National Emergency Management Agency to ensure general practice is represented in planning, response and recovery
- Formal inclusion and representation in state/territory disaster and emergency planning groups and committees or creation of a dedicated GP Disaster Management group to feed into established emergency planning committees, to allow for coordination and participation of GPs engaged in frontline responses
- Provide more funding for general practice to prepare, respond and recover from disasters, as well as remain financially viable in the long term in disaster prone areas
- Recognise general practice as an essential service to facilitate GP access to emergency provisions and resources
- Create special MBS item numbers for disaster-affected GPs and patients
- Recognise the role of general practice in disaster response and recovery, and support GPs in the recovery period.
RACGP President Dr Nicole Higgins said there is an urgent need to embed general practice in disaster planning, particularly with a significant bushfire season predicted.
‘As we’ve seen in past bushfires and floods, GPs play a key role caring for people and communities when disasters strike, as well as during the aftermath and recovery,’ she said.
‘But GPs who’ve been on the frontline during bushfires have told us that they’re held back from doing all they can due to a lack of consistent communication and coordination from the disaster response team.
‘This is why GPs need to be embedded in disaster planning and management, to ensure the right systems are in place before a crisis strikes.’
The RACGP feedback describes the way GPs are integrated in disaster response strategies as ‘in varying stages of development in different regions,’ and highlights a lack of coordination at all levels of government.
‘GPs represent a large and underutilised workforce during a disaster,’ it states.
‘There is currently no over-arching body that is formally tasked with coordinating GPs during disasters, which has caused confusion during past disaster responses.’
It suggests that Primary Health Networks (PHNs) are best placed to prepare and coordinate GPs who are responding to disasters.
According to the feedback, there is also currently no consistent funding allocated for GPs who provide services in evacuation centres.
‘Any GPs providing services in an evacuation centre should have a formally recognised role at the centre, as part of the emergency plan that encompasses the evacuation centre,’ the response states.
On a practical administrative note, the RACGP says GPs should have automatic provider number mobility so they can work in evacuation centres if displaced without having to arrange a new temporary number.
The long tail of a recovery once the fires, floods and media attention have subsided is also highlighted by the RACGP.
‘GPs are inundated with mental health presentations following a disaster, often continuing for months and years after the fact,’ the response reads.
‘Following the 2019–20 bushfires, GPs reported that patients faced difficulty receiving psychological care with many waiting several months after their referral to be seen by other services.’
It suggests introducing special MBS item numbers to allow GPs in disaster-affected areas to hold longer mental health consultations, while also advocating the ‘12-month rule’ be dropped in those areas so patients can receive mental telehealth care from non-local GPs.
Those GPs should ideally have Level 2 Focussed Psychological Strategies (FPS) training, according to the college.
Guidelines for GPs working in evacuation centres are due for release later this year, the RACGP also notes.
The Emergency Response Planning Tool (ERPT) is a cloud-based, online tool that assists general practices to prepare for, respond to and recover from the impacts of emergencies and pandemics. Find out more on the RACGP website.
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