National General Practice Accreditation (NGPA) Scheme

Overview

The National General Practice Accreditation Scheme (NGPA Scheme) provides the legislative framework for accreditation to the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) Standards for general practices (5^th edition) and RACGP Standards for point-of-care testing (5^th edition). 

The RACGP Standards for general practices (5^th edition) (the Standards) are the benchmark for quality care and risk management in Australian general practices. Their purpose is to protect the public from harm and support general practices in identifying and addressing gaps in their systems and processes.

The Standards are made up of indicators that describe how a general practice can demonstrate it meets the requirements of each criterion within the Standards. The indicators focus on patient outcomes, rather than prescribing specific processes.

The RACGP develops the Standards, and it is our role to operate the NGPA Scheme and ensure general practices are meeting the Standards through the process of accreditation.
 

What is accreditation?

Accreditation is a quality assurance mechanism that tests whether relevant systems are in place to ensure that expected standards of safety and quality are met.

Assessment is the process of reviewing a general practice has met the Standards. Accreditation is the outcome awarded to successful general practices.

This page describes the steps you need to take to achieve accreditation to the Standards. There are supporting resources linked throughout, and we are available to help with any questions you may have. Contact our Safety and Quality Advice Centre via email or you can call our tollfree number from 9am to 4pm, Monday to Friday.

You can also view the assessment process flowchart.

Pre assessment

Engage an accrediting agency

We have a rigorous process for approving independent accrediting agencies to assess general practices against the Standards. We ensure they have adequate knowledge, capability and resources to conduct assessments.

Your chosen accrediting agency will conduct your assessment according to the Commission’s requirements and timeframes.

Conduct a self-assessment

A self-assessment is not a formal requirement of the NGPA Scheme. However, accrediting agencies may require you to complete one to assist your general practice to understand how well it meets the Standards and prepare for the routine assessment. Assessors are not involved in the self-assessment process, and accrediting agencies cannot determine whether the Standards have been met at this stage.

Routine assessment process

Routine assessment model and timeframes

There are specific routine assessment model and timeframe requirements depending on your practice type.

If your general practice operates from a physical premises - where clinical assessments of patients take place in a building or a bus that you manage - the initial routine assessment must be conducted on site.

If your general practice operates without physical premises and you travel to an externally managed facility to see patients, the initial assessment must be conducted virtually. The requirements of a virtual assessment are outlined in our fact sheet about conducting virtual assessments.

The initial assessment should be undertaken at least four months and no more than eight months prior to your general practice’s accreditation expiry date. This timing helps you maximise the available timeframes for each step of the assessment process and minimise the risk of your accreditation expiring before the process is completed. 

If you want to undertake an initial assessment earlier than eight months prior to the accreditation expiry date, approval must be obtained before the assessment commences. Accrediting agencies may seek approval for an early assessment on your behalf using the approval form for accrediting agencies.

In limited circumstances, we may grant approval for initial assessments to be conducted via a hybrid assessment, where part of an accreditation assessment team is on site, and part of an assessment team is participating virtually. The Guidance on conducting a hybrid assessment under the NGPA Scheme outlines the processes and best practice requirements for accrediting agencies and general practices participating in hybrid assessments. Accrediting agencies may seek approval for a hybrid assessment on your behalf using the approval form for accrediting agencies.

Additional requirements

Notification of significant risk

A significant risk is one where there is a high probability of a substantial and demonstrable serious adverse impact for patients who access care from the general practice. When a significant risk is identified during an assessment, accrediting agencies are required to adhere to the requirements stipulated in Advisory GP18/04: Notification of significant risk.

Repeat assessment

General practices with 20% or more mandatory indicators rated ‘not met’ at the initial assessment are required to undertake a repeat assessment within six months of their routine assessment being finalised. 

Accrediting agencies and general practices are required to adhere to the requirements stipulated in Advisory GP23/03: Standardised repeat assessment of general practices.

Out-of-cycle assessment

If an accredited general practice undergoes a significant operational change such as a change in ownership or expansion of service provision, an out-of-cycle assessment may be required. The Guidance on out-of-cycle assessment of general practices describes the circumstances in which an out-of-cycle assessment is required, the requirements of the assessment and the impact on your current accreditation expiry date. 

Accrediting agencies may seek advice from the Commission on whether an out-of-cycle assessment is warranted using the approval form for accrediting agencies.

Relocation assessment

If an accredited general practice relocates to another address, a relocation assessment is required within three months of completing relocation. Accrediting agencies and general practices are required to adhere to the requirements stipulated in Advisory GP24/01: Assessment following relocation of physical premises by an accredited general practice.
 

Managing conflicts of interest in accreditation

You may engage a variety of consultants to support the operation of your general practice and prepare for assessment to the Standards, including the self-assessment if required.

Consultants engaged to prepare your general practice for an assessment, are not permitted to attend or participate in the assessment process under the NGPA Scheme. For more information, refer to Managing conflicts of interest in accreditation.

Accrediting agencies and assessors who provide consulting services

A known conflict of interest exists in situations where an accrediting agency or an assessor support a general practice to implement the Standards and then assess them against those Standards.

To reduce the likelihood of this conflict of interest occurring, accrediting agencies must ensure assessors who provide general practice accreditation consulting services do not review the organisations where they have consulted

Accrediting agencies must ensure that there is no conflict of interest, or bias, on the part of the accrediting agency or its assessors in conducting assessments and awarding accreditation. Any conflict of interest must be immediately acknowledged and addressed by the accrediting agency.
 

Extensions and appeals

There may be circumstances in which a general practice requires additional time for the assessment process or an extension to the accreditation expiry date.

A general practice may also wish to appeal a decision made by our organisation or the accrediting agency.

We have developed guidance for general practices about extensions and appeals and an application form for submitting requests. 

Applications must include a strong rationale and supporting evidence that demonstrate compliance with the eligibility criteria. Applications that do not meet these criteria will not be considered.
 

Advisories and resources for the NGPA Scheme

Resources and advisories have been developed to assist general practices and accrediting agencies adhere to the requirements of the NGPA Scheme.

Assessment outcomes data and lessons learnt for the NGPA Scheme

We monitor accreditation outcomes and lessons learnt from the assessment of general practices against the RACGP Standards for general practices (5th edition) and the RACGP Standards for point-of-care testing (5th edition).

View assessment outcomes data and lessons learnt