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Emergency Response Planning Tool (ERPT) – Why you should register to use it now!

Significant environmental events such as bushfires, flooding and even an earthquake could have a catastrophic effect on your practice and your ability to provide services to your community.

As we saw at the end of 2019 and into 2020 the bushfires had devastating consequences and will impact many Victorians for years to come.

General practice in these areas should play a significant role in the community’s response to any major event but to be able to do this your practice, and its staff need to be prepared. Fully completing the ERPT will ensure that your practice has an emergency response plan ready for all eventualities. Have a cloud based online emergency response plan for your practice;

• Consider the risks that your environment and geography pose in your planning process
• Understand that should your clinic be damaged; your emergency response plan should help you to re-establish services as soon as possible
• Staff members personally preparing for the aftermath of an emergency will ensure that they are able to respond appropriately.

Completing the ERPT will help you prepare for accreditation. The ERPT is the RACGP-recommended tool for GP practices to prepare for emergencies and pandemics and complies with the fifth edition RACGP standards.

The Victorian Department of Health is funding GP practices in Victoria to use the ERPT and Healthpoint ANZ is supporting you by helping you get started via a videocall training session.

So, if you are coming up for accreditation in 2022 and you want to go away for the holiday season with minimal interruption, using the ERPT to put all your practice emergency response information in one place is important. Act now to prepare your practice for a bushfire, flooding, power outages and other unplanned events, register for the ERPT at https://erpt.racgp.org.au and start your planning immediately.

Victorian government subsidies for the ERPT will end in December 2023, so make the most of your opportunity to get your ERPT in place now.

What will your practice receive?

Each participating general practice will receive:

• fully subsidised access to the ERPT in 2022 and 2023 (normally $385)
• support from Healthpoint ANZ, including an initial set-up/orientation video call to help you complete an emergency response plan
• ongoing access to the Healthpoint ANZ help desk
• further support from your practice’s relationship manager at North Western Melbourne Primary Health Network as required.

How to register for the ERPT

1. Go to the URL: erpt.racgp.org.au/standardlogin
2. Click on Register your practice for the ERPT, in red. Complete the few details.
3. HealthpointANZ will contact you to arrange training and support

Visit the RACGP website to find out more and watch a video about the ERPT.

For enquiries please contact the Primary Health Care Improvement Team on (03) 9347 1188 or email primarycare@nwmphn.org.au

 View flyer (.pdf)

The Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care has extended the healthdirect Video Call COVID- 19 GP Program to 30 June 2023.

We encourage you to continue using this secure video consulting platform which has been purpose-built for primary care settings.

For GPs in private practice wanting to start using the service, please register your practice.

For GPs in Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations wanting to start using the service, please register for access.

Resources

• RACGP CPD accredited training in healthdirect Video Call is available for your practice. Register here for essential training.
• Visit the Healthdirect website for more information about how Video Call works.
• To help you get started and improve your Video Call skills, refer to the healthdirect webinars, starter guide and other guides and videos.

For more information contact:

Primary Health Care Improvement Team
North Western Melbourne Primary Health Network
Phone: 03 9347 1188
Email: primarycare@nwmphn.org.au