The primary purpose of the NSW Health Influenza Pandemic Plan 2016 (NSW HIPP) is to provide guidance to NSW Health staff and agencies on how to effectively prepare for and respond to an influenza pandemic, in order to minimise the adverse health impacts on the NSW population and reduce the burden and disruption to health-related services in NSW.
This Plan also aims to contribute to whole-of-government response activity to reduce the adverse social and economic impacts associated with an influenza pandemic in NSW.
The Plan is intended to be flexible enough to provide guidance on the response to a large outbreak of any highly transmissible respiratory pathogen with significant morbidity and mortality.
NSW Health agencies and services must ensure that District level and health facility level pandemic plans align with the planning assumptions, emergency management principles and planned strategic response activities outlined in the Plan.
Existing emergency management arrangements described in NSW HEALTHPLAN (PD2014_012) are available to support coordination of whole-of-health resources or provision of expertise as needed, however, during a pandemic, the provisions of the NSW HIPP override those of HEALTHPLAN.
The whole-of-government NSW Government Human Influenza Pandemic Plan identifies measures and mitigating strategies to protect the community and minimise the impact of pandemic influenza on NSW. This plan is a sub-plan of the NSW State Emergency Management Plan (EMPLAN).
The Australian Department of Health is responsible for the national preparations for pandemic influenza, as described in the AHMPPI.
The National Action Plan for Human Influenza Pandemic (NAP) details a whole of government response for Australia. The Australian Department of Industry publishes information on pandemic planning for small business. The NAP is under review.
The World Health Organization is the international body responsible for coordinating a global response to an influenza pandemic.
