Accreditation
Accreditation is a process whereby a practice is assessed to ensure services are meeting a high standard of safety and quality. This is critical for high performance primary care.
Benefits of accreditation include:
- quality and safe service provision
- patient confidence
- reduced business risk
- eligibility for PIP and other schemes
- Quality Improvement (QI) and CPD points
- maintained regulatory requirements and national standards.
Transition notice – RACGP Standards for general practices, 6th edition
The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) has published the 6th edition. Accreditation assessments currently continue against the 5th edition.
The 6th edition places greater emphasis on how practices govern risk, support their workforce, manage digital systems, and involve consumers in care. The changes are intended to strengthen practice safety, resilience, and continuous improvement rather than create a simple renumbering of existing requirements.
- governance, risk and practice planning
- emergency, business continuity and climate resilience
- workforce capability, wellbeing and psychological safety
- cybersecurity, digital health and artificial intelligence governance
- data quality and digital clinical records
- infection prevention and reprocessing
- consent and consumer engagement
- continuous quality improvement.
The 6th edition is structured around four standards and an optional point-of-care testing standard. It strengthens expectations across governance, workforce, digital systems, patient participation and quality improvement. Because it is not a direct renumbering of the 5th edition, practices should review each requirement rather than rely on previous numbering.
Practice actions
- Confirm the assessment edition with the accrediting agency.
- Review the 6th edition and complete a gap assessment.
- Add priority actions to the quality improvement plan.
- Keep evidence of implementation and review.
Links
NQPHN does not provide direct support for accreditation. For general practice, we endorse the use RACGP Standards for general practices (5th Edition), which are available, along with many complimentary resources, on their website. The 6th edition is published, but assessments currently continue against the 5th edition. Practices should confirm requirements with their accrediting agency.
General practices can achieve accreditation against these Standards from an independent accreditation agency. For more information, the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality Health Care administer the National General Practice Accreditation Scheme which supports the consistent assessment of Australian General Practices against the standards.
Australia’s general practice accreditation bodies are:
Other Australian primary care accreditation bodies include:
When should you apply for accreditation?
Accreditation works on a three-year cycle, meaning your practice will require an onsite assessment once every three years, unless an issue is identified, or you relocate.
It’s important that you register for accreditation 12 months prior to your current accreditation expiring. New practices have one year to obtain accreditation after their registration date.
Who carries out the accreditation visit?
The accreditation visit is carried out by at least two qualified health workers, as part of a peer review process.
What happens if my clinic is found non-compliant?
If your clinic fails to meet a standard, you will have a chance to carry out improvement activities. There are a large range of possible non-compliances such as poor medical records, poor maintenance, poor storage, poor handover processes, missing documentation, or expired products.
Can practices choose assessment against the 6th edition?
Not under current published arrangements. Accreditation assessments currently continue against the 5th edition. Practices should confirm the applicable edition with their accrediting agency, which will advise when transition arrangements change.
How can practices prepare?
Review the 6th edition, complete a gap assessment, and add priority actions to the practice’s quality improvement plan. Continue preparing for assessment against the edition confirmed by your accrediting agency.
When will practices be assessed against the 6th edition?
The Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care will confirm transition arrangements. Accrediting agencies will advise practices when the 6th edition applies to their assessment cycle.
How can NQPHN assist with accreditation?
The NQPHN Primary Care Engagement team supports general practices to implement the RACGP Standards through practical quality improvement support, tools, resources, education, and data-driven insights. Our Quality Quest approach helps practices strengthen systems, demonstrate continuous quality improvement, and build evidence for accreditation.
To discuss your accreditation and quality improvement needs, contact your local Primary Care Engagement team