Accreditation
Accreditation in General Practice was established to promote a culture of quality and safety in Australian General Practices. General Practices are assessed for Accreditation against the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) Standards for General Practices, which are considered the benchmark for high quality care. From 1 November 2018, the RACGP 5th Standards for General Practice replaced the 4th Standards edition.
MPHN Primary Care Engagement Officers are available to visit your Practice and support you with preparing for Accreditation. Examples of the support we can provide includes interpreting the key changes in the new 5th Standards, discussing templates / evidence required to meet the Standards, providing guidance / possible questions on what is to be expected on the day.
Benefits of Accreditation
Accreditation Organisations
Computer Security
Clinical Governance
Infection Control
Cold Chain Management
Patient Feedback
Contact
Benefits of Accreditation
The benefits of Accreditation include:
Improving patient safety and overall health outcomes
Reducing risk in practice
Improving practice efficiency
Improving practice environment
Providing access to financial incentives for general practice – PIPs & SIPs
Helping to build a culture of quality within a general practice
Helping to build a culture of quality within general practice
Accreditation Organisations
There are two accreditation bodies in Australia for general practice. In order to assist practice to prepare for the accreditation survey visit, both accreditation bodies provide self-assessments, templates, resources checklists and even web-based training. Contact your accreditation provider (details below) to find out what support is available and what steps may be required prior to your survey visit.
AGPAL – Australian General Practices Accreditation Limited
Level 1, 65 Park Road (PO Box 2058) MILTON QLD 4064
Ph: 1300 362 111
Fax: 1300 362 110
Email: info@qip.com.au
Website: www.qip.com.au
GPA - Accreditation Plus
136 Mount Street, (PO Box 83) GUNDAGAI
Ph: 1800 188 088
Fax: 1800 644 807
Email: info@gpa.com.au
Website: www.gpa.net.au
Global Mark Pty Ltd
Suite 4.07
32 Delhi Road
North Ryde NSW 2113
Phone: 1300 766 509
Phone:02 9886 0222
Email: Health@Global-Mark.com.au
Website: www.global-mark.com.au
The Australian Council on Healthcare Standards
5 Macarthur Street
Ultimo NSW 2007
Phone: 02 9281 9955
Email: achs@achs.org.au
Website: www.achs.org.au
Computer Security
The RACGP Computer and Information Security Standards (CISS) and accompanying workbook will provide guidance on the essential information needed to put in place effective computer and information security. The workbook, when completed by practice staff, will form part of the general practice’s policies and procedures manual.
Clinical Governance
A system through which General Practice is responsible for continuous improvement of their services and safe guarding high standards of care, for their patients. Consumer centred care, continuous improvement in delivery of continuity of care. The identification of clear lines of responsibility and accountability for clinical care and ensuring these are communicated within the practice. This includes:
Clinical hand-over, across a range of Health Professionals
Patient - Clinician communication, engaging the patient in transitional care
Risk Management, reporting near misses
Clinical audits
Getting started:
Infection Control
It is essential that GPs and practice staff implement policies and procedures that maintain and enhance public health and safety by ensuring that the risk of the spread of infections diseases is prevented or minimised. MPHN staff can provide basic in-house training in infection control to your practice staff based on the RACGP Infection prevention and control standards 5th Edition
Topics covered include:
Importance of infection control
How infection is spread
Hand Hygiene
Standard Precautions
Transmission-based Precautions (contact, droplet and airborne precautions)
Safe Management of Sharps
Waste Management
Management of Blood & Body fluid exposure
Managing the Practice Physical Environment
Spills kit contents
If you require this training for your practice staff, please contact us.
Cold Chain Management
Practices should have a well managed Cold Chain Management system and procedures in place to ensure patients receive effective vaccinations and avoid legal implications. MPHN staff can provide in-house training in Cold Chain Management to your practice staff based on The Australian Immunisation Handbook 10th Edition and the Strive for 5, 2nd edition. Topics covered include:
What is Cold Chain?
Receiving vaccines
Monitoring of vaccines and temperature recording
Cold Chain breach
Action in the event of a Cold Chain breach
Managing a power failure
How to pack your purpose built vaccine fridge
Packing a Vaccine Esky
Fridge Maintenance
If you require this training for your practice staff, please contact us.
We also provide data logging services to support accreditation documentation and audits.
Patient Feedback
Practices can select from the following RACGP-approved validated questionnaire providers:
Insync’s Patient Satisfaction Instrument (PSI) Ph: 1800 143 733
CFEP Survey’s Patient Accreditation Improvement Survey (PAIS) Ph: (07) 3855 2093
Press Ganey Associates Ph: (07) 5560 7400