The Department of Health and Families has responsibility for the leadership, management and coordination of the following four response and recovery roles:
| Group/Role | Responsibility |
|---|
| Medical Response and Recovery Group | - Coordinate and control the mobilisation of all health responses to emergencies when emergency/counter disaster arrangements are activated. This includes hospital, medical, nursing, retrieval, first aid, pharmaceutical supplies and mental health services.
- Laboratory services - diagnostic, monitoring and therapeutic services.
|
| Public Health Response and Recovery Group | - Environmental health - water supply, food supply, refuse collection and disposal, sewage, vermin and vector control, radiation hazards, emergency shelter and housing, disposal of dead animals, personal hygiene, disinfection, dead bodies, occupational health and safety.
- Disease control - communicable disease risk assessment, immunisation policy, monitoring disease trends.
- Public health information - coordination and control of all public health information responses.
|
| Welfare Response and Recovery Group | - To undertake general assessment of the needs of individuals and families affected by disaster.
- To provide advice to the Regional Controller and Recovery Planning Committee in relation to welfare response and recovery strategies.
- The provision of welfare support to individuals, families and the community during the 'Response Phase'
- To provide information and help to ensure access to personal support to those persons engaged in counter disaster activities; (provision or access to).
- Work with individuals, families and the community to assess and respond to the long term welfare requirements of the community.
- Contribute to the coordination of recovery services.
- Co-ordination of Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements for individuals to alleviate personal hardship when relevant.
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| National Critical Care and Trauma Response Centre (NCCTRC) | - Coordination and communication between the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing National Incident Room and the NT Medical Response and Recovery Group.
- Coordinate the receipt of injured patients, where applicable.
- Depending on the magnitude of the incident the NCCTRC will undertake the stabilisation and treatment of the injured.
- Facilitate the interstate transfer of patients for treatment in other jurisdictions.
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The requirement to activate one or all of the Counter Disaster Medical, Public Health and Welfare Response and Recovery Groups, is common for most disasters or emergencies. In the event of a disaster impacting on the APEC region or a National Health emergency the Australian Government may activate the NCCTRC to coordinate a medical response.
Full details on the responsibilities, roles and membership of all agencies' response groups are included in the NT All Hazards Emergency Management Arrangements and regional and local counter disaster plans.
All major emergencies that have occurred in the Northern Territory have required the Department of Health and Families and its partner agencies to provide both input and support services.
For further information contact us on 8999 2743.
