Progress Report - November 2023 - As one system: The NSW Health system's response to COVID-19

​Summary

The debrief report As one system: The NSW Health system's response to COVID-19 was published in May 2023 and NSW Health committed to publicly reporting on progressing addressing the 59 recommendations and actions in the report in November 2023. Common themes emerged in the As one system recommendations and actions and these were grouped into a simplified reporting structure to a total of 35 being reported on.

The key aim for emergency management is for preparedness to be treated as a permanent priority in business as usual and key emergency management and pandemic policy reviews are underway for update.

Emergency preparedness is ongoing, so progress is noted as actioned and on-going (embedded in business as usual) or in progress, rather than marked as complete.

• 12 recommendations/actions are fully embedded in business-as-usual
• 23 recommendations/actions are in progress but much of the work is underway with some activities within recommendations / actions embedded in business-as- usual.

The goals outlined in the report are:

• Key emergency management and pandemic policy reviews are underway for update and include:
• All Hazards approach, for the target audience
• Roles and responsibilities outlined according to current system capabilities and delegated responsibilities.
• Less is more approach (condense the number of plans/policies/guidelines) 
• Making sure business as usual processes are embedded and reflected in emergency management policies.
• Continuing engagement with all partners and communities (incl Aboriginal, CALD, regional, aged and disability etc) at a state, regional and local level in business as usual.
• Making data and systems accessible and useful in business as usual and in an emergency response.
• Embedding the innovations that worked well during the Response into business as usual.
• Embedding workforce wellbeing considerations in business as usual and in an emergency response.

The key actions outlined in the report are:

• Update all Emergency Management policy, plans and frameworks.
• Work is progressing on updating the New South Wales Health Services Functional Area Supporting Plan “NSW Health Plan".
• All policies, plans and frameworks cascade from NSW Health Plan and will be considered, and updated throughout 2024. The next critical plan being updated is the sub plan to EMPLAN, the NSW Human Influenza Pandemic Plan. Further discussion with MEM will occur on this Plan.
• Create a set of minimum standards for NSW Health responsible entities in relation to emergency
• management prevention, preparation, response and recovery.
• Review the NSW Health Emergency Management Education and Training Framework and the NSW Health Exercise Management toolkit.
• Develop a data escalation framework which identifies certain triggers for the sharing of data in business as usual and in an emergency response.
• Continue to evaluate innovations and initiatives established during COVID-19 for long term establishment.
• Continue to implement the NSW Health Workforce Plan 2022-2032.

Progress reporting will continue in 2024, with another progress report to be published in November 2024.