Why should my medical practice become accredited?

The RACGP Standards for General Practices are a template for quality care and risk management in Australian general practice. Achieving independent accreditation against the Standards means that a general practice is committed to providing high quality, safe and effective care to their patients.

1. Benefits of general practice accreditation

• Effective risk management and improved patient safety
• Patient assurance that a high level of care is provided
• Build a culture of quality in the practice environment
• Develop staff skills and engage the practice team in continuous quality improvement
• Eligibility to access financial incentives such as the Practice Incentives Program (PIP) and Workforce Incentive Program (WIP) from Medicare.
• For the incentives guidelines which outline requirements and payments for individual incentives please go to What are the individual incentives

2. Registration

General practices who wish to gain formal accreditation against the Standards can do so via an independent accreditation agency, which is Australian General Practice Accreditation Limited (AGPAL), Quality Practice Accreditation (QPA) or The Australian Council on Healthcare Standards (ACHS).

AGPAL

Visit AGPAL website www.agpal.com.au and clicking on the ‘Request a quote’ or ‘Register’ tab to obtain a non-obligation quote or register for accreditation. There is an initial registration fee paid when practices register to commence their accreditation process. The balance of the accrediation fees is payable once the self-assessment is submitted.

QPA

Visit QPA website and clicking on the ‘Fee Estimate’ tab to request an indicative fee. To obtain a non-obligation quote or register for accreditation, simply go to the Connect login located at the top of the web page, create your user account and complete the application form. The program fee is payable upon application. The balance of the accreditation fees is calculated and invoiced 6 weeks prior to the on-site visit.

ACHS

Complete the Expressions of Interest register on ACHS website or call (02) 9281 9955 to express your interest to change to ACHS. The three-year contract fee is all inclusive and is payable in 3 proportionate annual instalments.

3. Practice support services

The South Western Sydney PHN Practice Support team provides support for practices undertaking accreditation for the first time or undergoing re-accreditation.

• Overview of accreditation
• Supporting the first-time accredited practices through the different stages of accreditation
• Provide feedback regarding accreditation readiness
• Provide templates and resources as required
• Provide links for online training for practice staff
• Assist in navigating AGPAL Education & Resource Library (Qbay), QPA Connect portal and ACHS websites