AUSMAT
AUSMAT
An Australian Medical Assistance Team (AUSMAT) is an official Australian Government multidisciplinary healthcare team deployed in response to national or international disasters where assistance is requested by the impacted government.
The National Critical Care and Trauma Response Centre prepares and coordinate personnel for international and domestic deployment. It also focuses on enhancing the capacity of clinicians in the Northern Territory to manage local emergencies.
Under the AUSMAT concept, NCCTRC has trained more than 700 doctors, nurses, allied health and logisticians to an international standard as medical disaster responders.
Australia has access to the nation’s more experienced clinical staff in the event of a health emergencies.
The NCCTRC works on a regular basis with government agencies, in particular, EMA-AGD, DFAT, Australian AID and the Department of Health and Aged Care, as well as the office of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. It has formal representation on national working groups such as the AUSMAT Working Group, through Department of Health and Aged Care, and the Deployment Working Group through Emergency Management Australia, and the Emergency Medical Teams Initiative at the World Health Organization (WHO) in Geneva.
Underpinning the AUSMAT’s deployable human resource is the world-leading logistics capability which includes a 4000sq m EMT 2 field hospital.
Expecting the unexpected
The National Critical Care and Trauma Response Centre (NCCTRC) prepare and coordinate personnel for international and domestic deployment. AUSMAT teams deploy rapidly with Australian Defence Force assistance and are designed to be self-sufficient once they reach a disaster zone. The experienced teams consist of doctors, nurses, paramedics, firefighters and allied health staff. The NCCTRC provides disaster management and response leadership, through investment in surge capacity, response capability, teaching, training and education, along with research.
Deployment activation pathway
All AUSMAT deployments are with the approval of the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC), and are formally tasked through the National Health Emergency Standing Committee (NHEMS).