Updated general practice definition for the purpose of accreditation against the RACGP Standards for general practices (5th edition)

The RACGP has updated its definition of a general practice for the purpose of accreditation against the RACGP Standards for general practices (5th edition) (the Standards). This update broadens the definition to ensure that all healthcare organisations providing comprehensive, patient-centred, whole-person and continuous care are eligible for accreditation against the Standards.

Under the new definition, accreditation against the Standards is available for general practices that provide genuine care in non-traditional models, such as mobile services or services for a specific patient cohort. The new definition maintains its function of identifying practices that are eligible to be assessed for general practice accreditation, while serving to achieve greater equity through extending access to models of general practice previously excluded from accreditation.

The definition of a general practice for the purpose of accreditation, as defined by the RACGP:

In order for a practice or health service to seek accreditation:

• it must provide comprehensive, patient-centred, whole-person and continuous care; and
• its services must be predominantly* of a general practice nature.

*more than 50% of the practice’s general practitioners’ clinical time (ie collectively), and more than 50% of services for which Medicare benefits are claimed or could be claimed (from that practice) are in general practice.

The definition exists solely to identify services eligible to be assessed as a general practice against the RACGP Standards for general practices (the Standards) by an accreditation agency approved under the Australian Commission on Quality and Safety in Healthcare’s National General Practice Accreditation Scheme. This definition is for the assessment of the environment and systems of quality and safety. In expanding the definition of a general practice for the purposes of accreditation there will be some services that are eligible to be accredited against the Standards but that may not be appropriate as training practice locations or eligible for entry into a training program.

The general practice, once acknowledged as meeting the definition, must still meet all mandatory indicators in the Standards to be accredited.

Please note that this update does not impact existing accreditation against the Standards. Broadening the definition has not changed eligibility for general practices that previously met the definition. Therefore, the updated definition does not exclude services that are currently accredited.

The new definition does not extend to cover services that provide limited or non-continuous care, such as telehealth-only services, services limited to specific body systems or disease processes, or services that are not GP-led.

For further information regarding the updated definition of general practices for the purpose of accreditation against the Standards, consult the RACGP’s Interpretive Guide for the accreditation of general practices under the new definition of a general practice for the purpose of accreditation.

Contact the AGPAL team for further information on general practice accreditation and how this definition may impact your practice:
P: 1300 362 111  |  E: info@agpal.com.au