PHARMACY owners are being urged to take steps to protect their patients, staff and property as flood waters hit towns across south east Queensland and northern NSW.
Pharmacy Insurance specialist, Carollo Horton and Associates CEO, Giuseppe Carollo, told Pharmacy Daily that with severe weather intensifying in the region store owners and managers needed to "be safe".
"Be sure that you and your staff are safe," he said.
"Don't cross flooded roads to get to your store and follow all the local safety advice.
"From an insurance perspective, pharmacies need to try to minimise further damage where they can.
"Have a think about 'What are your most valuable contents, items and stock lines?Are they in a safe location up high? Are your computers and financial records backed up and accessible?'"
Carollo added that pharmacists needed to focus on their most vulnerable patients, "think of those who may be due for a repeat this week and how you may be able to assist them".
With the flooding event expected to be defined as an "insurance catastrophe", Carollo said that claims from affected clients would be prioritised by insurers, adding that some policies would also cover a pharmacy's loss of income for the period that it is closed as a result of flooding.
"Business Interruption cover will also be triggered when you lodge your claim," he said.
Carollo urged owners and managers of impacted pharmacies to take "lots of photos" of any flood damage and to start to clean up what they can while waiting for assistance.
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