Accreditation in general practice was established to promote a culture of quality and safety in Australian general practices. General practices are assessed for accreditation against the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) Standards for General Practices (3rd edition), which is considered the benchmark for high quality care in Australian general practice.

The RACGP Standards for General Practice were developed in the 1990's with the purpose of assisting General Practices to fulfil a process of quality improvement. The Standards are now in their 3rd edition and are the result of an ongoing review process and consultation with experts within the profession, as well as consumers, to ensure they are appropriate for today’s primary health care climate.

RACGP Standards for General Practices, 3rd edition
Available online at www.racgp.org.au/standards

RACGP Infection Control Standards for Office Based Practices, 4th edition
Hardcopy available only – order through the RACGP at www.racgp.org.au

General Practice accreditation organisations in Australia

There are currently two organisations which provide accreditation services to general practices in Australia:

AGPAL – Australian General Practices Accreditation Limited

Level 1, 65 Park Road
PO Box 2058
MILTON QLD 4064

Ph: 1300 362 111
Fax: 1300 362 110
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
Website: www.qip.com.au

GPA Accreditation Plus

95-97 Sheridan Street
GUNDAGAI NSW 2722

Ph: 1800 188 088
Fax: 1800 644 807
Website: www.gpa.net.au

Accreditation and the Practice Incentives Program (PIP)

Practices are required to either be accredited or registered for accreditation in order to be eligible to receive PIP payments. Further information about the Practice Incentive Program be found via the link below

PIP

How the IDGP Practice Support Service can assist you

The IDGP Practice Support Service provides support for practices undertaking accreditation for the first time, or for those undergoing re-accreditation. The Practice Support Service is able to assist practices undertaking accreditation through:

• Sending new practices undertaking accreditation, the Division's "Accreditation Introduction Package"
• Undertaking an accreditation practice visit, at the beginning of the accreditation process to provide a basic outline of the tasks that are involved in accreditation as well as a basic understanding of what is needed to complete each RACGP standard
• Providing templates and resources to assist practices in fulfilling accreditation requirements
• Undertaking a practice visit prior to the day of accreditation to review accreditation standards and go through final checklists together in preparation for the visit

Phone and email support is provided by the IDGP Practice Support Service or alternatively, a practice visit can also be arranged.

To arrange a practice visit for accreditation preparation support please contact:

Chris, Kathy or Margaret at  at 4220 7600 or through email at Practice Support