Curriculum standards
Entrustable Professional Activities
LG6: Incident response
Incident response
Assess and respond to urgent and/or evolving public health issues, including communicable disease outbreaks, disasters, and events threatening population health
This activity requires the ability to:
- know and work within your / your organisation’s role within the incident management structure
- respond to public health situations appropriately and in a timely manner
- obtain relevant detail on the incident(s) and related public health risks
- rapidly ascertain the importance and urgency of situations
- decide whether action needs to be undertaken immediately or if further investigation is required
- request assistance when required
- engage with relevant other intersectoral professionals, such as emergency services
- use mechanisms for communicating and coordinating between public health stakeholders and with other sectors involved in emergency and disaster management
- apply a recognised framework / guideline if appropriate, such as for an outbreak investigation, cluster investigation, or environmental risk assessment
- rapidly locate and appraise suitable evidence and other relevant public health information, including to characterise risk
- synthesise findings to develop public health management plans, including formulating clear and realistic recommendations
- communicate assessments and recommendations in a manner that is most suitable to the given circumstances and audience (such as oral, written, or both)
- manage media enquiries if relevant
- determine incident closure criteria and enact incident closure
- develop plans for and conduct post-incident evaluations
- document incidents (possibly including for publication) and present results to the community, other health professionals, and policymakers, as relevant
Professional practice framework domain
Medical expertise
Ready to perform without supervision
Expected behaviours of a trainee who can routinely perform this activity without needing supervision
The trainee will:
- recognise immediate threats to public health and respond appropriately
- prioritise public health threats based on sound public health principles
- consider psychosocial and physical safety, and contextual factors
- elicit accurate, organised, and problem-focused contexts for situations, including timelines, individuals and populations involved, immediate risks to health, and steps taken so far
- seek additional relevant information, such as from literature, experts, or laboratories
- synthesise and interpret information from relevant sources to devise immediate next steps
- assess the likelihood of any exposure and the risk to public health
- develop management plans based on relevant guidelines, and consider the balance of benefit and harm by taking account of the social, cultural, and political environment
- analyse options for prevention of future similar situations, using health protection and health promotion strategies
- demonstrate effective application of knowledge and awareness in the immediate response
Requires some supervision
Possible behaviours of a trainee who needs some supervision to perform this activity
The trainee may:
- identify health risks and the communities involved, including specific at-risk groups
- identify relevant team members and stakeholders
- identify and access sources of relevant information
- identify relevant framework / guidelines
Communication
Ready to perform without supervision
Expected behaviours of a trainee who can routinely perform this activity without needing supervision
The trainee will:
- communicate openly, listen, and take community concerns seriously, giving adequate opportunity to ask questions
- communicate up to department / minister early on and ongoing as appropriate
- communicate health risks effectively to the public
- use different media effectively
- assess the level of outrage in the community
- respond to complaints
- develop consultation and communication strategies
- communicate an appropriate level of concern
- communicate clearly, effectively, respectfully, and promptly with other relevant professionals
Requires some supervision
Possible behaviours of a trainee who needs some supervision to perform this activity
The trainee may:
- anticipate, read, and respond to verbal and nonverbal cues
- demonstrate active listening skills
- communicate clearly with other health professionals, communities, and others involved in situation responses
- use standardised verbal and written templates to improve the reliability of information transfer and prevent errors and omissions
- communicate accurately and in a timely manner to ensure effective handover and quality of situation management
Quality and safety
Ready to perform without supervision
Expected behaviours of a trainee who can routinely perform this activity without needing supervision
The trainee will:
- demonstrate safety skills, including infection control, adverse event reporting, and effective handover
- recognise and effectively deal with aggressive and violent behaviours through appropriate training
- maintain personal physical and mental wellbeing
- ensure communities are informed of the material risks associated with any part of proposed management plans
- demonstrate an understanding of legal responsibilities of health professionals and others
- ensure all outstanding information critical to the response is followed up appropriately
Requires some supervision
Possible behaviours of a trainee who needs some supervision to perform this activity
The trainee may:
- perform hand hygiene, and take infection control precautions at appropriate moments
- document the progress of situations, and synthesise with clarity and completeness
- ensure handovers are complete, and work to mitigate risks if incomplete
- maintain confidentiality of information from individuals and the community, adhering to relevant privacy legislation
Teaching and learning
Ready to perform without supervision
Expected behaviours of a trainee who can routinely perform this activity without needing supervision
The trainee will:
- take opportunities within situations to teach and guide trainees and other health professionals, taking account of their skill and confidence levels
- regularly reflect upon and self-evaluate professional development
- provide constructive feedback to junior colleagues to contribute to improvements in individuals’ skills
Requires some supervision
Possible behaviours of a trainee who needs some supervision to perform this activity
The trainee may:
- set positive and attainable goals for self-learning
- self-reflect as a responsible learner and team member
- take opportunities to teach junior colleagues during handover, as necessary
- provide feedback to junior colleagues
Research
Ready to perform without supervision
Expected behaviours of a trainee who can routinely perform this activity without needing supervision
The trainee will:
- search for, find, compile, analyse, interpret, and evaluate information relevant to situations
- use appropriate tools to describe data in terms of time, place, and person
- use appropriate statistics to analyse data to assess risks to public health
Requires some supervision
Possible behaviours of a trainee who needs some supervision to perform this activity
The trainee may:
- refer to guidelines and medical literature to assist when required
- demonstrate an understanding of the limitations of evidence and the challenges of applying research in daily practice
Cultural safety
Ready to perform without supervision
Expected behaviours of a trainee who can routinely perform this activity without needing supervision
The trainee will:
- identify populations at increased risk, or who are particularly impacted, or for whom there may need to be specifically tailored management
- use plain language education materials, and demonstrate cultural sensitivity
- demonstrate effective and culturally competent care and communication, including consideration of different needs, such as culture, religion, identity, education, and ability
- use a professional interpreter, health advocate, or a family or community member to assist in communication, and understand the potential limitations of each
- acknowledge community beliefs and values, and how these might impact on health and proposed management plans
Requires some supervision
Possible behaviours of a trainee who needs some supervision to perform this activity
The trainee may:
- display respect for different cultures, and attentiveness to the social determinants of health
- display an understanding of cultural practices relevant to place-based population health practices, and an appreciation of sensitivities and values
- appropriately access interpretive or culturally focused services
Ethics and professional behaviour
Ready to perform without supervision
Expected behaviours of a trainee who can routinely perform this activity without needing supervision
The trainee will:
- demonstrate professional values, including compassion, empathy, respect for diversity, integrity, honesty, and partnership with communities
- maintain confidentiality, unless the release of information is required by law or public interest
Requires some supervision
Possible behaviours of a trainee who needs some supervision to perform this activity
The trainee may:
- demonstrate professional conduct, honesty, and integrity
- maintain respect for individuals, communities, and other healthcare professionals, including respecting privacy and confidentiality
- consider the community’s decision-making capacity
- identify community preferences regarding management and decision making
- not advance personal interest or that of professional agendas at the expense of the community’s wellbeing
Judgement and decision making
Ready to perform without supervision
Expected behaviours of a trainee who can routinely perform this activity without needing supervision
The trainee will:
- apply knowledge and experience to identify community issues and make logical, rational decisions to achieve positive outcomes for communities
- use a holistic approach to health, considering comorbidity, uncertainty, and risk
- use the best available evidence for the most effective management strategies to ensure optimal health outcomes
Requires some supervision
Possible behaviours of a trainee who needs some supervision to perform this activity
The trainee may:
- demonstrate medical reasoning by gathering focused information relevant to community wellbeing
- recognise personal limitations and seek help in an appropriate way when required
Leadership, management, and teamwork
Ready to perform without supervision
Expected behaviours of a trainee who can routinely perform this activity without needing supervision
The trainee will:
- use a leadership style (such as delegating, participating, selling, or telling) appropriate to the situation
- identify reporting lines and resources available, including personnel, time, and funds
- identify relevant team members and stakeholdersk
- manage team and stakeholder meetings
- work effectively as a member of multidisciplinary teams to achieve the best population health outcome
- demonstrate awareness of colleagues in difficulty, and work within the appropriate structural systems to support them while maintaining community safety
Requires some supervision
Possible behaviours of a trainee who needs some supervision to perform this activity
The trainee may:
- share relevant information with members of the public health response team
- participate as a team member
Health policy, systems, and advocacy
Ready to perform without supervision
Expected behaviours of a trainee who can routinely perform this activity without needing supervision
The trainee will:
- participate in health promotion, disease prevention and control, screening, and reporting notifiable diseases
- advocate for timely, effective action in response to important threats to public health
- advocate effectively for an equity focus to achieve equitable health and wellbeing
Requires some supervision
Possible behaviours of a trainee who needs some supervision to perform this activity
The trainee may:
- identify and access relevant community resources
- identify the role of the health system and public health physician within the situation’s response
- identify causes of inequity in any specific situational response