Media Release

6 September 2007

Community and individual recovery from emergencies - new guidelines

A new publication which grew out of ongoing preparations for a possible flu pandemic could help New Zealanders recovering from a wide range of emergencies, and the agencies which assist them, the Ministry of Health says.

"Recovering from emergency events is more than just patching people and getting infrastructure operational again," Ministry spokesman Steve Brazier said today. "It's just as important to look at easing the physical and psychological burden for individuals, families/whanau and communities as well as building and bolstering psychological wellbeing. "

Mr Brazier was commenting on the publication of new guidelines from the Ministry of Health, Planning for Individual and Community Recovery in an Emergency Event: Principles for Psychosocial Support which is part of the National Health Emergency Plan. The publication has been developed in consultation with a wide range of other groups involved in emergency planning and response.

He said recent events including the terrorist attack on the World Trade Centre in 2001, the Indian Ocean tsunami in 2004, Hurricane Katrina in 2005, and a number of civil defence emergencies in New Zealand since 2004 have heightened both our awareness of vulnerability and of the difficulties of assisting people who survive them.

"We hope these guidelines, while aimed primarily at the health sector, will also be useful for other groups striving to deal with these aspects of an emergency," Mr Brazier, National Health Co-ordinator for Emergency Planning, said.

"Most people affected by an emergency event will not need a psychiatrist or psychologist, but they will need food, shelter, security, family reunion and related social interventions. By meeting these needs, agencies and organisations are contributing to what we call psychosocial recovery."

"Many components of psychosocial recovery will not come from the health and disability system, but from individuals and families; community organisations such as church groups; welfare agencies; or other groups convened for recovery purposes under the umbrella of regionally based Civil Defence Emergency Management (CDEM) groups," Mr Brazier said.

Another aspect that has become increasingly important to organisations responding to emergency events is the need to plan for the psychosocial welfare of staff working in emergency situations. The SARS outbreak in 2003/04 provided critical research evidence for agencies to factor into their psychosocial recovery planning.

"The education of workers about expected stress reactions and the importance of stress management can help them to anticipate and manage their own response to the emergency event."

The document will, in time, be underpinned by a series of information leaflets on particular aspects of psychosocial recovery such as, for example, dealing with children who may be having nightmares.

"Like much of our pandemic planning, this is a work in progress," Mr Brazier said.

The publication is available at www.moh.govt.nz/moh.nsf/indexmh/planning-individual-community-recovery-in-emergency-event

ENDS

Michael Flyger
Media Advisor
Communications
Ministry of Health
Ph: 04 496 2265