The National Safety and Quality Primary and Community Healthcare Standards (Primary and Community Healthcare Standards) aim to protect the public from harm and improve the quality of health care delivered.
The Commission has developed the Primary and Community Healthcare Standards for services that deliver health care in a primary and/or community setting. They are person-centred, and describe the processes and structures that are needed to deliver safe and high-quality health care.
The Primary and Community Healthcare Standards were formally launched on 12 October 2021. More information about the launch is available in Background.
All Australian primary and community healthcare services directly involved in patient care are encouraged to implement the Primary and Community Healthcare Standards. Resources are available to support healthcare services implement the standards and help consumers understand what the standards will mean for them.
Accreditation provides assurances to the community that a healthcare service meets expected standards for safety and quality. It is a formal program in which trained independent reviewers assess a healthcare service’s evidence of implementation of the Primary and Community Healthcare Standards. Assessment to the Primary and Community Healthcare Standards may be conducted by an approved accrediting agency from 1 May 2023.
The Primary and Community Healthcare Standards were developed to support safety and quality improvements in the primary and community healthcare sector through extensive consultation with consumers, healthcare providers and services, professional and peak bodies, Primary Health Networks and other representatives of the sector.
For questions and feedback on the Primary and Community Healthcare Standards please contact the Safety and Quality Advice Centre via AdviceCentre@safetyandquality.gov.au or 1800 304 056.
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