Exercise Forrest Gump Wrap

Seven deaths, 14 confirmed cases

The largest pandemic preparedness exercise ever undertaken in NSW played out for five days in emergency departments across the Hunter, New England and Lower Mid North Coast regions.

The week-long ‘Exercise Forrest Gump’ tested emergency department responsiveness to the potential threat of pandemic influenza in Australia.

Hunter New England Health Public Health Controller Dr David Durrheim said the exercise had been beneficial in helping Hunter New England Health, and in turn, state-wide area health services, prepare for a potential pandemic in Australia.

“The game-play pandemic situation really tested the ability of staff to recognise and appropriately assess presentations of pandemic influenza,” Dr Durrheim said.

"A team of expert evaluators from the Commonwealth, and Health Departments in Queensland, Tasmania, NSW, WA and Switzerland have been very impressed with the performance of Hunter New England Health facilities and public health surge in responding to exercise cases of pandemic influenza presenting to health facilities throughout the area and managing large numbers of exercise contacts,” he said.

All 36 acute hospitals in Hunter New England performed well and most performed exceptionally in responding to a presentation of a suspected case of pandemic influenza.

All hospitals were able to offer enhanced triage for a sustained period of four days.

A large number of health staff were trained to correctly contain spread of pandemic influenza in the community.
 
“The expert evaluators have identified a number of opportunities for further improving the response that will ensure that Hunter New England and NSW Health are optimally prepared to respond to future influenza pandemics and emerging infectious disease threats," Dr Durrheim said.

• 300 staff involved in the exercise
• 36 cases presented to 36 emergency departments during the exercise, including 14 confirmed with H5N1 (avian influenza)
• Seven died as a result of avian influenza
• Over 200 calls made to the Referral and Information Centre
• 176 contacts were identified and quarantined
• One site temporarily stood down from the exercise due to a genuine emergency

Read the final XFG Summary Report here
Read the NSW Ambulance Service XFG Evaluation Report here
Read a selection of articles on Exercise Forrest Gump from newspapers across the Area here
To view television coverage from the exercise, click here. You may need Internet access enabled to view this site
Read a transcript of radio coverage here. You may need Internet access enabled to view this site