What work is being done with primary care practitioners such as GPs and nurses on avian flu and preparing for a pandemic?
Primary health care is a fundamental component of pandemic planning at a District Health Board (DHB) level, and DHBs are working in their communities to make sure this is achieved through their emergency plans. Many DHBs employ general practitioners to liaise with other GPs on primary care issues. Nationally the Ministry of Health is working on pandemic planning with primary care leaders, such as the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners and the College of Practice Nurses. National GP organisations have met and identified how they are will continue to contribute to the ongoing pandemic planning processes, and the College of GPs has been nominated as the lead agency for this. There are GPs and nurses on various pandemic influenza advisory groups to the Ministry. Information packs advising on infection control measures to minimise the spread of flu among health workers and the public are being prepared for distribution to primary care practitioners.
