• Review and identify lessons. 

• Communicate with patients about return to normal business hours and services. 

• Connect with and refer to local social and community support agencies. 

• Identify and reach out to patients with increased vulnerability factors. 

• Identify community population health needs post disaster and develop campaigns to address emerging needs e.g. focus on mental health assessments. 

• Providing and accessing care and support.

• Patients in areas affected by natural disaster are now exempt from the existing relationship (12-month rule) requirement for telehealth. This means patients don’t need to have had a face-to-face consult with a GP in the last 12 months to access MBS subsidised telehealth services. 

A person is exempt from the 12-month rule if, at the time of accessing a telehealth service, they are living in a local government area that is declared by a State or Territory Government to be a natural disaster area. 

Distress, denial and disbelief are common reactions people may show for days and sometimes up to weeks after a disaster. In the initial hours and days, people may be stunned and dazed, particularly in response to a sudden and devastating disaster. 

During the first consultation with an impacted patient, GPs are advised to: 

• Listen, comfort and quietly accept information. 

• Ensure survival, safety and security. 

• Orient towards goals. 

Doctors may be directly impacted by disasters and need to look after their own health and wellbeing. Doctors may also become overloaded by the traumatic experiences of others. 

Early indicators that a doctor is affected by the traumatic experiences of their patients may include: 

• heightened response to the patient. 

• increased levels of arousal (sleep disturbance) 

• avoidance (includes increased alcohol use). 

To avoid being overwhelmed, doctors should consider: 

• discussing distressing or difficult experiences with colleagues 

• limiting their exposure to a tolerable level 

• maintaining good general health with regular exercise, good nutrition and sleep habits 

• seeking help if needed. 

• Lifeline: 13 11 14 

• Beyondblue: 1300 224 636 

• Mensline: 1300 789 978 

• Kids helpline: 1800 551 800 

Queensland Government financial and housing supports are available for people affected by the flooding events and other natural disasters. To access support please visit the website or phone the Community Recovery Hotline on 1800 173 349. 

Primary Health Networks (PHNs) may have been provided funding for disaster recovery grants to support local community wellbeing and resilience, community connections and emergency response capabilities. Please contact our Practice Support team to see if funding is available. 

• Disaster support and recovery
• Disaster recovery support
• Far North Queensland Rainfall and Flooding (January 2025)

• Review and identify lessons.

• Communicate with patients about return to normal business hours.

• Identify community population health needs post disaster and develop campaigns to address emerging needs e.g. focus on mental health assessments.

• Identify and reach out to patients with increased vulnerability factors.

• Connect with and refer to local social and community support agencies.  

• Disaster support and recovery (Queensland Government)  

• Getting help (DRS4DRS) 

• GP Support Program (RACGP) 

• Better Mental Health for Health Professionals (Black Dog Institute) 

• RACGP Natural Disasters (New information for GPs in, or supporting, disaster-affected communities) 

• Information for GPs in disaster affected areas (RACGP) 

• Mental health in emergencies and disasters (RACGP) 

• Head to Health website  

• Natural Disasters and your mental health (Beyond Blue) 

• How to deal with the stress of bushfires, floods, earthquakes and cyclones (ReachOut Australia)  

Visit the Get Ready Queensland website for a variety of useful advice and resources to help you and your patients recover from a disaster event. 

Queensland Government 

• Getting help 

• Support groups 

• How can I help? 

• Financial support 

• Interpreter services 

• Disaster recovery support 

• Housing help after a disaster 

• Rebuilding and cleaning up 

• Mental health and wellbeing 

• Translated fact sheets about financial assistance grants  

• Local government disaster dashboards  

• Grants Finder 

Other 

• QCOSS Community Door: provides access to a variety of resources to assist Non-Government Organisations to consider when developing Business Continuity Plans and processes to assist vulnerable clients in a disaster.     

• ABC Radio is the recognised Emergency Broadcaster 

• Bureau of Meteorology 

• Australian Red Cross 

• Disability Inclusive disaster risk reduction: Person-Centred Emergency Preparedness (Collaborating 4 Inclusion) 

• 'Nobody checked on us': what people with disability told us about their experiences of disasters and emergencies (theconversation.com)  

• Lifeline 

• Australian Institute for Disaster Resilience 

• Bushfire Resilience Rating app (National Emergency Management Agency) 

• Connects Rural Australia to Mental Health Services (Rural Health Connect) 

• Queensland Gives (Queensland Community Foundation) 

• RACQ Foundation 

• Federal Government’s information for school aged kids: 

  • Birdie stories 

Also check local Council websites and social media accounts (e.g. Facebook) to ensure you, staff and clients have access to up to date source of information during and post a disaster. 

• Refer to the practice's emergency management plan. 

• Communicate to patients any changes to access or open hours and/or reinforce continued access. 

• Consider extending or offering alternative arrangements to accommodate changed or increase in patient demand. 

• Follow alert and warning updates. 

• Offer support to your local practices as agreed if you have the capacity to do so. 

• Consider extending opening hours to accommodate an increase in patient demand.

• Communicate to patients any changes to access or open hours and/or reinforce continued access.

• Regularly visit and follow alert and warning update sites to stay informed.  

Disasters and emergencies are increasing in prevalence and impact, and North Queensland has a relatively high level of exposure to extreme weather events.  

Our region can experience a range of natural disasters including cyclones, floods, storms, bushfires and pandemics. These emergencies can pose a risk to business continuity in primary care. It is a requirement of the RACGP Standards of General Practice that practices prepare and maintain an emergency response plan (ERP). 

In line with the Commonwealth Legislation (Aged Care Act 1997 and Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission Act 2018), it is essential for RACHs to continue to provide care and support to their clients throughout a disaster. Emergencies can impact residential aged care homes' (RACHs) ability to provide services, and preparing for emergencies helps lessen these impacts. 

Information and resources to help you, your staff and patients during disaster recovery following cyclones and flooding. 

It is recommended that service providers have a plan in place should a disaster event occur (for example, a heatwave) to ensure their staff and clients are aware of strategies to protect themselves and family. 

NQPHN has compiled information to assist service providers who support clients in the community with preparedness activities for heatwaves. 

Heatwave specific resources 

• Heatwave warnings (Bureau of Meteorology) 

• Extreme Heat and Heatwaves Stakeholder Kit 2023-24 (Queensland Government) 

• Heatwaves asset library (Queensland Government) 

• Hot weather health and safety (Queensland Government) 

• Heatwave preparation checklist (Queensland Government) 

Fine smoke particles can cause health problems like itchy or burning eyes, throat irritation, a runny nose, and illnesses like bronchitis. 

They can also aggravate existing lung conditions, like chronic bronchitis, emphysema, and asthma. Symptoms can occur for several days after smoke is inhaled. 

Residents should: 

• close windows and doors 

• use fans or air conditioning on recirculating mode to keep cool 

• keep medications close by if suffering a respiratory condition 

• be vigilant in taking prescribed medications for existing lung conditions. 

If you have a known respiratory condition such as asthma please have your regular medication at hand and see your GP if you do not feel you are adequately prepared. 

Residents should call Triple Zero (000) if you are having health problems or believe your property is under threat. 

• Bushfires in Australia factsheet (RACGP) 

• Bushfires Stakeholder Kit (Queensland Government) 

• Managing pandemic influenza in general practice (RACGP) 

• Emergency planning and response in general practice: Measles (RACGP) 

• Outage Finder (Ergon Energy power outage information)  

• Queensland Traffic Road Condition Information (search for flooded or damaged roads) 

• RACGP Natural Disasters (New information for GPs in, or supporting, disaster-affected communities) 

Supporting staff and patients in a time of crisis.

Free wellbeing support for general practice and pharmacy staff. 

NQPHN offers free EAP support for all general practice and pharmacy staff affected by the impact of cyclones and/or floods.  

An Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is a work-based intervention program designed to enhance the emotional, mental, and general psychological wellbeing of all employees and includes services for immediate family members.  

To access this confidential service, please contact AccessEAP on 1800 818 728 and identify as one of these groups when calling into our service, starting with Northern Queensland Primary Health Network, then either Chemist Staff or GP staff.  

For more information on AccessEAP, visit their website.  

NQPHN has also created an EAP support poster to advise staff of the service availability:  

• Download poster (General Practices)  

• Download poster (Pharmacies)  

Wellbeing support for Practice Managers and their teams  

AAPM has set-up a dedicated opportunity for Practice Managers and their team members to access the AAPM Member Assistance Program. AAPM will fully fund the first few engagements to ensure healthcare professionals can remain supported.  

AAPM Non-Member Support can be accessed here using code NMS024 to successfully identify and validate your eligibly.  

Head to Health  

Prioritising your mental health is important. If you or someone you know needs mental health support, it’s available 24/7. Find resources and helplines at Head to Health.  

Other support services 

Queensland Health factsheets 

• Public health advice for disaster management 

• Black flies-a public health risk after a flood 

• Restoring flood-affected domestic swimming pools and spa pools 

• Ensuring safe drinking water 

• Restoring rainwater tanks affected by natural disasters (including bore water-holding tanks) 

• Health advice for emergency response workers 

• Use and disposal of medicines after a disaster 

• Food safety in an emergency 

• Controlling mosquito breeding after floods, storms and cyclone 

• Mosquito-borne diseases after a storm, flood or cyclone 

• Dealing with mould after a storm, flood or cyclone 

• Returning to a disaster-affected house or building 

• Stay safe and healthy after storms, floods and cyclones 

• Use of playgrounds and sporting fields during flood recovery 

  ABC 

• ABC information on what to do during a cyclone