Any natural disaster be it fire or flood doesn't change your indemnity cover for the healthcare you provide. All MIPS members have indemnity cover for Good Samaritan Acts and the normal requirements of healthcare and healthcare records apply for any practice you undertake.
Good Samaritan acts are where you provide healthcare voluntarily, without remuneration, in relation to unexpected events and where you wouldn't normally be expected to be available to provide healthcare. For example if you were on holiday in an area where there was a bushfire and during the emergency you treated people suffering from burns. You do not need to contact MIPS in this type of circumstance.
If you plan to travel to a bushfire affected region to provide emergency locum relief you may receive indemnity through the locum provider. If this is not the case, or you prefer to have your own cover in addition, you can temporarily (or permanently) amend your membership with MIPS to an appropriate classification for the period of practice.
Doctors interested in doing emergency locum assistance in bushfire affected areas can register interest through:
- Victoria: Rural Workforce Agency Victoria on 03 9349 7800 or locum@rwav.com.au
- New South Wales: New South Wales Rural Doctors Network on 02 4924 8000.
- South Australia: Rural Doctors Workforce Agency on 08 8234 8277
