Christmas/New Year closure checklist for General Practices

Prepare for the holiday season by following these steps to ensure your practice is organised and your patients are supported for your upcoming Christmas/ New Year closure period.

Communicate your closure

• Notify all staff, including contractors, of the closure dates.
• Inform delivery services and onsite providers such as pathology.
• Set up an out-of-office message for your phone system.
• Display notices for patients:
  • At the practice: Front door, reception area.
  • Online and digital platforms: Website, social media, online booking system, email signatures, and phone hold messages.
• Highlight available alternative services:
  • Medicare Urgent Care Clinics
  • Victorian Virtual Emergency Department

Manage medical supplies, vaccine stock and cold chain

• Check expiry dates on medical supplies.
• Minimise vaccine stock levels during the closure.
• Ensure staff are trained in cold chain management and refer to:
  • National Vaccine Storage Guidelines – ‘Strive for 5’
  • Cold Chain Management Guidelines
• Plan for power failures and ensure cold chain breach protocols are in place.

Review emergency plans

• Update your Business Continuity and Emergency Response Plans if needed.

Patient and provider support

• Remind patients to ensure they have enough medication and scripts to cover the closure period.
• Provide closure details to external providers, including:
  • Pathology services
  • Imaging services
  • Pharmacies
  • Hospitals
  • After-hours deputising services
  • Cleaners
• If possible, arrange a handover plan with local practices with whom you have an established relationship to handover urgent patient care.