The Ministry of Health this week distributed Y2K contingency planning booklets to GPs and rest homes throughout the
country.
More than 2500 GPs this week received the Ministry of Health booklet 'The New Millennium and Contingency Planning for
General Practitioners', designed to help GPs prepare for the new millennium. A thousand copies of a similar booklet,
'Rest Home - Year 2000 Contingency Planning', went out to rest home owners.
Director General of Health Dr Karen Poutasi said both booklets provide good information to help GPs and rest home owners
prepare for possible disruptions in the new millennium.
"The Year 2000 is something we all have to work towards. While the Ministry of Health is not directly responsible for
these agencies, we felt it was important that they had good information at hand - we have the expertise to be able to
provide that."
The booklets have been developed from a similar publication sent out earlier this year to HHSs and has had input from a
range of people active in the sector.
"These publications are intended as a resource for those yet to finalise contingency plans for the Year 2000. They
provide a guide to help these organisations approach the matter systematically and appropriately to ensure the
continuity of business as usual.
"There is no single correct process for managing the Year 2000 but the more thoroughly people are prepared in advance
the better the reaction will be should difficulties arise - whether it be an alarm clock not working or a power cut.
"These publications look at generic contingency planning and so should be helpful for problems which might occur at any
time - not just for the Year 2000," says Dr Poutasi.
Most health organisations, both public and private, have been actively preparing for the arrival of the Year 2000 for
the last few years.
"HHSs are particularly important, being large and complex organisations with a high dependence on computers and outside
services like electricity and water. But at this point, our hospitals have made good progress; they are well organised
and are on track to be fully prepared for the end of this year.
"In general, the health sector in New Zealand is well up with preparations elsewhere in the world and no significant
year end disruption is expected."