Best Practice in Government Agency Pandemic Planning

Transcription

1 Best Practice in Government Agency Pandemic Planning Bob Hayes Business Continuity in Government Conference Canberra 18 November 2009 Copyright

2 Aim of this session To outline best practice regarding: how your pandemic plan should now look how your pandemic plan should relate to your agency s broader BCM plans how your pandemic plan should be implemented in practice 2

3 Session outline objectives and essentials of sound pandemic planning pandemic planning as a component of the organisation s Business Continuity Package Business Impact Analysis the foundation for planning structure and content of a Pandemic Plan pandemic planning strategies, sub-strategies and actions relationship between the BC Plan and Pandemic Plan implementation of the Pandemic Plan - what s involved? features of best practice pandemic plans and lessons for the way forward 3

4 A severe pandemic wave what s likely? if a vaccine is not the panacea or the virus mutates then a severe pandemic is possible widespread illness, death and disruption worldwide social distancing enforced schools & child care centres close most organizations simultaneously affected 4

5 A severe pandemic wave what s likely? (continued) staff absenteeism (incl. key staff) up to 50% some staff unwilling to work / travel public transport / travel curtailed inputs, utilities & government services affected essential business services only broad Government control 5

6 Planning assumptions for organizations 10-40% of population infected 1 2.5% of those infected may die 30-50% peak absenteeism several waves each up to 3 months disruption up to 2 years 6

7 Compared with a normal crisis a pandemic situation: is much more widespread lasts much longer causes high staff absenteeism / critical staff unavailable affects service inputs including utilities normal alternative work and recovery strategies don t apply 7

8 Main objectives of pandemic planning minimise impact on the wellbeing and safety of staff maintain or recover operational capability to perform the organisation s essential services meet these objectives by: prevention and preparedness response recovery meet BCM, OH&S and risk management compliance obligations 8

9 Fundamentals of pandemic planning Pandemic planning involves determining and addressing the things we need to do: in advance of - during - after - a pandemic crisis documenting and rolling out a plan implementing practical arrangements 9

10 Relationship between pandemic planning & business continuity management (BCM) pandemic planning is an essential part of overall BCM BCM is essential for proper pandemic planning you can t have one without the other CEO and top management endorsement / empowerment is essential for both 10

11 Business continuity in a pandemic or other crisis involves three organizational groups Crisis Management Team (CMT) crisis management / overall BCM (need to know a lot) Recovery Teams - specific business service continuity / recovery (need to know a fair bit) All other staff act as instructed (only need to know the basics) 11

12 Components of a business continuity package 12

13 Components of a business continuity package BCP (Blue Book) - comprehensive manual for the BCP Coordinator and some senior executives only CMT Plan (Orange Book) slender manual for CMT with essential information on how to manage the crisis Recovery Team Operational Recovery Plans (ORPs Green Books) slender manual for each business unit Recovery Team on how to maintain / recover their essential services in a crisis Pandemic Plan (Pink Book) for the CMT, BCP Coordinator and Pandemic Planning Team. How to manage a Pandemic crisis BCP & Pandemic Staff Pamphlet briefly explains to staff what they need to know and do. 13

14 Business Impact Analysis (BIA) an up-to-date BIA is the foundation of an organization s BCP and Pandemic Plan identifies the essential services that must be maintained during a crisis or, in the event of an outage, recovered within the Maximum Allowable Outage Time also identifies the inputs required for those services and the time point by which they must be available 14

15 Writing a Pandemic Plan - structure Pandemic Plan ( Pink Book ) Overview and Framework Service Priorities/ Required Inputs Pandemic Sub- Plans/Policies Actions 15

16 Pandemic plan structure and content 1. plan overview, framework, objectives and governance 2. WHO Global and national pandemic phases 3. critical functions in a pandemic crisis (high level) 4. pandemic crisis management - roles & responsibilities (Crisis Management Team (CMT), BCP Coordinator, Medical Coordinator, Pandemic Planning Team) 16

17 Pandemic plan structure & content - contd. 5. pandemic strategies and sub-strategies 6. actions for consideration or implementation at each pandemic phase 7. required action milestones 8. preparatory actions and arrangements in advance of a pandemic things to address now 17

18 Pandemic plan structure & content - contd. 9. pandemic Sub-Plans (HR, IT, communications, facilities & travel objectives, responsibilities, strategies, policies and limitations) 10. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) management and distribution plan 11. detailed business unit crisis service priorities and required inputs (from BIA) 12. roll-out / implementation, training, testing / exercising and maintenance Sub-Plans 13. post-pandemic actions 18

19 Pandemic plan strategies 1. minimise the impact of a pandemic through sound BCP based on BIA 2. protect staff from getting sick 3. implement pandemic work practices 4. ensure critical infrastructure adequately supports required services 5. ensure the continuity of required services 19

20 Pandemic strategy 1 Sound BC planning knowing what to protect what risks / events to protect against knowing how being capable of protection (resourcing) implementing protection (managing input risks) * See also Australian Government Being Prepared for a Human Influenza Pandemic a Business Continuity Guide for Australian Businesses, June

21 Pandemic strategy 2 - Protect staff from getting sick Staff health and welfare measures eg. - personal hygiene standards - staff vaccination Staff training and awareness eg. - personal health information / infection prevention - use of PPE Workplace infection prevention measures eg. - social distancing / reducing contact - enhanced cleaning 21

22 Pandemic strategy 3 - Implement pandemic work practices Alternative work arrangements eg. alternative work sites incl. work from home split shifts / alternative working hours enhanced use of telecommuting / teleconferencing 22

23 Pandemic strategy 3 (contd.) - Implement pandemic work practices Communications with eg: staff customers suppliers / key third party interdependencies 23

24 Pandemic strategy 3 (contd.) - Implement pandemic work practices Controls and compliance eg: work at remote sites (incl. home) workarounds backlog processing 24

25 Pandemic strategy 4 - Ensure adequate supporting infrastructure Crisis coordination facilities - in-house - external - other ad hoc facilities Alternative accommodation - allow for essential workers performing critical services - physically separated facilities - must allow social distancing - home-based work Technology - IT capability to support remote work (simultaneous access) - telephone switch / PABX facility / remote teleconferencing - external website and intranet 25

26 Pandemic strategy 5: sub-strategies - Ensure continuity of required services maintain critical services required in a pandemic ( roadmap from BIA tables) ensure required inputs (from BIA) are available 26

27 Pandemic strategy 5: sub-strategies (contd.) - Ensure continuity of required services recognise and manage pandemic risks and stresses on these inputs (eg. cross-train key staff) discuss, scrutinize and, if necessary, insist on pandemic resilience of suppliers / critical thirdparty dependencies (building owners?) CMT to direct and coordinate recovery teams who implement Operational Recovery Plans 27

28 Pandemic-specific actions strategies / sub-strategies are implemented by actions before, during or after pandemic actions in Business Continuity Guide can be a guide for Government Agencies some actions are required by Commonwealth Government Action Plan (CGAP) Crisis Management Team to review / implement and coordinate actions during each phase / change of phase Pandemic Planning Team may assist development and implementation of actions as directed by CMT 28

29 Pandemic-specific actions 29

30 Relationship between the Pandemic Plan and the organisation s BCP pandemic plan is a stand-alone document why? - pandemic is so different to a normal crisis - cross referencing is cumbersome - sometimes a requirement pandemic plan supplements, consistent with and integrates with CMT Plan and BCP BIA and Business Unit Operational Recovery Plans not part of Pandemic Plan but are used by Recovery Teams to maintain / recover pandemic services 30

31 Implementing / rolling-out the pandemic plan what s involved? A multi-faceted exercise. The organization needs to: approve / endorse the plan (at top level) document / implement policies (eg attendance, pay) perform required actions to implement the plan establish infrastructure facilities / IT establish alternative work arrangements procure / store / manage PPE 31

32 Implementing / rolling-out the pandemic plan what s involved? (continued) establish communication / contact arrangements roll out practical arrangements personal hygiene and organizational measures identify and back-up critical staff conduct training and awareness exercise / test the plan meet OH&S requirements 32

33 OHS requirements and good practice under OHS (CE) Act Commonwealth employers are required to take all reasonably practicable steps to protect the health and safety at work of their employees an influenza pandemic is a reasonably foreseeable risk and employers have a duty of care to undertake planning and preparation for potential workplace exposure to Pandemic Flu employers need to identify pandemic risks and be prepared to implement risk control measures to eliminate or minimise them employees need to also know their OHS duties & perform them Comcare guidance* outlines good practice (for Govt. Agencies) * Australian Government, Comcare OHS preparedness for an Influenza Pandemic: A guide for employers, June

34 Features of best practice pandemic plans (1) clear stated objectives clear stated assumptions address both people and business aspects clear roles and responsibilities clear strategies, sub-strategies and actions based on well considered image of how agency will act as pandemic progresses 34

35 Features of best practice pandemic plans (2) comprehensive and practical flexible (not too rigid and phase-specific) yet simple, succinct, user-friendly format lots of pictures and brief dot points based on BIA & consistent with organization s BCP 35

36 Features of best practice pandemic plans (3) take into account relevant good practice guidelines CEO and senior management empowerment and endorsement focused on (external) essential services capabilities in a pandemic prepare to truncate normal services staff informed and consulted in development and trained in what they need to know during roll-out 36

37 Lessons (1) beware the next wave look after your people ; look after your business pandemic planning is part of BCM and vice versa you can t have one without the other CEO and top management endorsement essential BIA is the foundation do that first not every business activity is essential BIA identifies essential external services 37

38 Lessons (2) it s all about managing key pandemic input risks implementation is quite complex don t underestimate it pandemic preparedness is an OHS issue if your pandemic plan doesn t match best practice it should - best practice is readily achievable pandemic planning is good business, especially now if you don t yet have a pandemic plan - do it now!!! 38

39 Please feel free to contact: Bob Hayes E: M: