All Torres and Cape Hospital and Health Service staff are safe and we have had no reported injuries to staff or patients related to the current weather event.
No structural property damage has been reported at our health facilities.
We continue to engage with our communities in the cyclone-impacted areas.
As always, we encourage residents to prioritise their safety, follow emergency service advice, and only travel if it is safe to do so.
Facilities in impacted areas have implemented emergency procedures to minimise disruption to health services and ensure the safety of staff and patients, including vulnerable patients.
Coen, Lockhart River, Aurukun and Napranum (Malakoola) PHCCs currently are providing emergency services only and will resume full services when it is safe to do so.
Residents of all four communities are recommended to dial 000 in an emergency.
Napranum residents also can present at the Weipa Integrated Health Service Emergency Department.
All in-hospital services at Weipa Integrated Health Service and Cooktown Multipurpose Health Service are continuing as normal and all other primary health care centres on Cape York remain open.
All health facilities on Cape York have adequate health staffing for anticipated needs.
Outreach services are temporarily postponed and will be rescheduled once the weather event has passed.
The severe weather also has affected patient travel to and from Cairns for clinical appointments, so we are in contact with patients to reschedule travel once it is safe to do so.
Every health facility in the Torres and Cape Hospital and Health Service region has individual emergency management plans in place to ensure continuity of care for our community during emergencies and staff members are familiar with these.
These include plans for vulnerable patients with specific health needs.
Should there be any power outages across the region, we have emergency generators at all our health facilities, and they are well supplied with adequate stocks of fuel.
We also have emergency communication channels in place using satellite phones if needed, should we lose normal communications at any facilities.
We have post-cyclone recovery plans in place to move relieving clinical staff to any affected facilities where they might be needed following the cyclone.
Should they be required, we also have repair and maintenance teams on alert to go to any facilities where they might be needed.