Review of Australia’s Health Sector Response to Pandemic (H1N1) 2009: Lessons Identified

Chapter 8: National Medical Stockpile Deployment

Page last updated: October 2011

Key Findings

  • The National Medical Stockpile met the demands of the 2009 pandemic, although overall demand was limited.
  • There is a need to better communicate the role of stockpiles and to clarify the policy regarding and timing of the transition from jurisdictional stockpiles to the national stockpile.
  • Distribution, tracking and reporting mechanisms could be enhanced.
  • Responsibility for providing personal protective equipment to general practitioners should be clearly defined.
Text box 8: National Medical Stockpile guidance from AHMPPI 2008

Objective
  • Operational objective 2: Minimise transmission.
Purpose
  • Actions will be taken to reduce the spread of the pandemic virus to minimise the number of people affected by the disease.
  • The function of the National Medical Stockpile is to maintain a stock of pharmaceuticals, personal protective equipment and medical equipment to enable the Australian Government to respond to a range of public health threats.
Governance
  • The use of the National Medical Stockpile to respond to a pandemic is an Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing decision undertaken in consultation with the Australian Health Protection Committee.

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