Actions by health departments. Ensuring that the community receives appropriate health care during public health emergencies is a government responsibility. Consequently, health departments must emphasise in national and sub-national plans, the critical need for all levels of the health system to integrate the general practice sector in the planning process. This should include appropriate general practice representation in high level planning and decision-making committees, in incident-commandcontrol structures and in the management of community-based specialised clinics such as 'fever clinics' or 'community information and assessment centres'.