HUMAN INFLUENZA PANDEMIC PLANNING
Western Australian Government Pandemic Planning
In Western Australia, the Department of Health is the lead agency responsible for developing and implementing measures to respond rapidly and effectively to an influenza pandemic. The Western Australian Health Management Plan for Pandemic Influenza (WAHMPPI) ensures that Western Australia is adequately prepared to rapidly detect and respond to pandemic influenza, and mitigate outbreaks of pandemic influenza by the appropriate use of infection control measures, antivirals and vaccines.
The Western Australian Government Human Influenza Pandemic Plan identifies measures and mitigating strategies to protect the community and minimise the impact of an influenza pandemic upon Western Australia. The Plan complements national and health planning and sets out a whole of government response to pandemic influenza.
The Plan, first issued in July 2006, has been reviewed and updated to reflect the current state of planning nationally and in Western Australia. The Plan is intended for use by Government and the general public and is designed to complement existing emergency management arrangements.
The Western Australian Government Human Influenza Pandemic Taskforce was established in July 2006 to oversee coordinated whole of government pandemic planning in WA. The Taskforce is chaired by the Director General, Department of the Premier and Cabinet, with senior representation from key agencies and the Western Australian Local Government Association. The Taskforce established a number of sub committees and working groups to tackle issues in pandemic planning in a range of areas including the economy, employment, maintenance of society, and legal and administrative issues. Its terms of reference include:
- reviewing and refining the Western Australian Government Human Influenza Pandemic Plan;
- ensuring consistency with the National and Commonwealth pandemic plan; and
- overseeing the planning activities for whole of government actions, roles and responsibilities against each of the World Health Organisations pandemic phases.
Public Sector Employment Flexibilities Framework
In March 2008, the Department of Consumer and Employment Protection (DOCEP) issued a circular to Western Australian Government Departments and Authorities, outlining public sector employment flexibilities that would come into effect in the event of a human influenza pandemic affecting Western Australia. The employment flexibilities framework was developed by the Taskforce and is designed to assist agencies in coping with the labour pressures likely to arise in the course of an influenza pandemic.