Canterbury Health System Response to Earthquake Vulnerable People

1. Canterbury Health System Response to Earthquake Vulnerable People

3. Vulnerable People? September 5th Issues keeping residential services operating ARC filled up Awareness that many people not able to be adequately supported through general community response VP team established

4. Team Selection • Critical to success • Clinicians and Managers • Sound practitioners • Ability to exercise judgement • Established relationships • Knowledge of health system • Partners – ACC, MOH, Lifelinks

5. Focus of Activity 2 ARC facilities with significant damage – approximately 200 residents affected Supported residential providers (not all health) Welfare centre support – ‘at risk’ people Single Point of Entry into ARC Evacuation of residents Establishment of new respite facilities – hospital and community Communication

6. What did we do well? Whole of system response Team membership selection - Use existing expertise and grow/augment them – SPOE; Social Work; DON; P&F Contact with ARC and MH providers Relationships across DHB and other sectors pivotal Connection and relationships with Primary care supported speed of solutions and consistency of message Made use of existing tools to aid communication eg Health pathways and developed new ones - eldernet Sector Debrief

7. What could we have done better? • Get out to ‘at-risk’ providers earlier • Communication • Single reference point for all enquiries to avoid inconsistent advice • Phone not the best tool • Practical knowledge/preparedness of organisations and individuals

8. February • Massive scale • Immediate priorities – • Evacuation of Aged Residential Care residents • Provision of central contact (phone) point for community

9. VP team established Clinicians deployed to facilities Evacuations commenced (500 people) – locally coordinated initially SPOE controlled access to ARC immediately Residential Care contact commenced Logistics support commenced VP helpdesk established

10. Evacuation challenges – id, meds, nok, mobility aids, mode of transport… • Transit Lounge • Lens for acceptable standard of care • ACC, DSS, Education • Contact point for logistics help - water, portaloos etc • Conduit into other emergency teams • Door knocking support backup • Supported organisations and individuals

11. VP longest operational phase Chemical Toilets After shocks Travel assistance Repatriation Support for vulnerable facilities Door knocking

12. What we did well • Whole system response and interconnection • Team membership – right people right skills • Local and strong understanding of system • Urgent implementation of previous planned strategies supporting response

13. Lessons Learned • Everyone needs an emergency plan!! • Standard responses may meet the needs of many but not everyone • Importance of establishing systems and processes in advance where possible • Communication +++ (txt is best) • Disability and health systems and relationships different • Know what you don’t know and know the people that do

14. Resources www.eldernet.co.nz www.cdhb.govt.nz/planning/

15. Our Health System is based on trusted relationships.