Primary Care Emergency Planning A tool kit to assist General Practices in preparing a Service Continuity Plan

Why Plan at all Nothing ever goes wrong here! Nothing ever goes wrong here! We have a great practice manager who can always be relied on to sort it out! We have a great practice manager who can always be relied on to sort it out! The PCT will always have to bail us out if the worst happens! The PCT will always have to bail us out if the worst happens! Planning won’t make matters any better! Planning won’t make matters any better!

Risk assessment Carry out a risk assessment for your area and practice Carry out a risk assessment for your area and practice Rate those you rate as high risk of severe impact to service provision or high likelihood of happening Rate those you rate as high risk of severe impact to service provision or high likelihood of happening Those who score high for both risk and likelihood need particular attention Those who score high for both risk and likelihood need particular attention

Communications Always a problem area with real incidents Always a problem area with real incidents Can you communicate with your staff, patients or PCT during an emergency? Can you communicate with your staff, patients or PCT during an emergency? Does your communication work without power to the building? Does your communication work without power to the building? Can you access outside the practice? Can you access outside the practice?

Command and Control Who would command during A practice incident?A practice incident? A major incident?A major incident? A pandemic?A pandemic?

Utilities How long can you provide a service without power? How long can you provide a service without power? What limitations are there on the service? What limitations are there on the service? Do you have a prepared fall back position? Do you have a prepared fall back position?

Evacuation Plan If you needed to evacuate your premises how would it work? If you needed to evacuate your premises how would it work? Do people know what is expected of them? Do people know what is expected of them? Have you practiced? Have you practiced?

Infection Control How would you manage an infectious patient presenting to your premises? How would you manage an infectious patient presenting to your premises? Would the procedure be the same if they were contaminated? Would the procedure be the same if they were contaminated? Do you have any protective clothing or masks? Do you have any protective clothing or masks?

Personal Protective Equipment What have you got? What have you got? Is it all in one place? Is it all in one place? Can it be used in all circumstances? Do you know its limitations? Can it be used in all circumstances? Do you know its limitations?

Major Incidents Do you have a role to play? Do you have a role to play? Who would be in charge? Who would be in charge? How quickly would normal service be restored? How quickly would normal service be restored?

Local support Have you talked to neighbouring practices? Have you talked to neighbouring practices? Have you considered a mutual aid agreement? Have you considered a mutual aid agreement? What support might you get from your PCT or ICT department? What support might you get from your PCT or ICT department?

Pandemic Flu Consider minimum staffing requirements Consider minimum staffing requirements Need to prioritise work Need to prioritise work Contributions to services organised by PCT or locality Contributions to services organised by PCT or locality Consider altered work patterns Consider altered work patterns

Different arrangements for Primary Care in a Pandemic Guidance on arrangements may be centralised Guidance on arrangements may be centralised Arrangements for patient assessment may be centrally coordinated Arrangements for patient assessment may be centrally coordinated Doctors may need to work differently Doctors may need to work differently Flexibility and cooperation will be required Flexibility and cooperation will be required

Plans and Actions Write things down Write things down Action cards for key roles Action cards for key roles Set a review date for the plan Set a review date for the plan Test it and revise if appropriate Test it and revise if appropriate Talk to your PCT Talk to your PCT