AUSVETPLAN – the Australian Veterinary Emergency Plan – is a comprehensive series of manuals that sets out the various roles, responsibilities and policy guidelines for agencies and organisations involved in an emergency animal disease (EAD) response. AUSVETPLAN manuals are also used for training purposes and during exercises to ensure the plans will be effective and that personnel are trained in advance of an EAD outbreak
The availability of agreed AUSVETPLAN manuals ensures that informed decisions about the policies and procedures needed to manage an EAD incident in Australia are immediately at hand and there is no time lost in mounting the response.
Since 2002, Animal Health Australia (AHA) (http://www.animalhealthaustralia.com.au/) has worked with Members to prepare and review AUSVETPLAN manuals and supporting documents to ensure their accuracy and currency.
The first AUSVETPLAN manuals were written in 1986 – 25 years on they remain world-class. Recent updates to AUSVETPLAN resources will be presented. These include the publication of new and revised manuals, as well as the development of MasterDocs (www.masterdocs.com.au) – an innovative online collaborative software that has brought significant improvements to the process of editing of AUSVETPLAN manuals.