Accreditation Support
Accreditation
Accreditation for General Practices is a voluntary program where a practice is accredited against the RACGP Standards for General Practices. The accreditation cycle lasts for three years.
The RACGP Standards for General Practice (5th edition) were introduced in October 2017. All practices becoming accredited or re-accredited will be accredited against the 5th edition Standards from November 2018.
There are many benefits to becoming an accredited practice. Some of these include:
- Recognition within the general practice community that your clinic is performing in accordance to best practice standards.
- Instilling confidence in your patients and/or consumers by demonstrating the practice is dedicated to delivering high quality care to patients. The opportunity to reflect on what’s working well at a practice level and identify areas for improvement.
- Access funding from the Practice Incentives Program (PIP), Service Incentive Payments (SIP) and the Practice Nurse Incentive Program (PNIP).
- Supporting the adoption of best practice guidelines on clinical and practice management, including reducing clinical risk.
- Improves staff morale through increased management efficiencies.
- Improves patient services in terms of communication, patient management, preventative health and medical records.
- Improves safety for workers, patients and visitors.
- Your practice will actively engage members of the practice team in establishing quality systems and processes, creating a culture of quality.
- QI & CPD points.
Important Links and Resources for Accreditation
RACGP Standards (The links below will take you to the RACGP Standards page where you will find the 5th ed standards, patients’ feedback guide, 5th ed resource guide and fact sheets for the 5th ed. As well as the CISS (Computer Information and Security Standards) templates and the 5th ed Infection Control Standards).
Other important resources for accreditation include:
Approved Accreditation Agencies
The following agencies are approved the practice to the RACGP Standards for General Practices:
Patient Feedback Surveys
The 5th edition does not specify the methods you must use to collect patient feedback. It is strongly encouraged that you consider which methods best suit your practice and your patients.
Options available on the RACGP website are a good guide.
If choosing a commercial tool that has been approved by the RACGP the providers of these tools are:
Who can I contact with questions?
Please contact your General Practice Support Officer for further assistance with accreditation, which includes:
- Conducting mock surveys within the practice
- Assistance with online self-assessment
- Templates and posters for accreditation
- Sample policies, procedures and documents
