Advisory details
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Advisory number | GP23/03 |
| Version number | 1.1 |
| Trim number | D24-34499 |
| Publication date | 4 September 2024 |
| Replaces | Version 1.0 published on 4 October 2023 |
| Compliance with this advisory | Mandatory |
| Information in this advisory applies to |
|
| Key relationship | |
| Attachment | |
| Notes |
Repeat assessments apply to general practices with 20% or more mandatory indicators rated ‘not met’ following the initial assessment. This process is likely to affect less than 4% of general practices. |
| Responsible officer | Margaret Banks Director, National Standards Phone: 1800 304 056 Email: AdviceCentre@safetyandquality.gov.au |
| To be reviewed | 4 September 2026 |
Purpose
This advisory sets out the standardised repeat assessment processes for accrediting agencies and general practices under the National General Practice Accreditation (NGPA) Scheme.
Issue
Under the current NGPA scheme, general practices that achieve accreditation are next assessed in three years. General practices with a large number of mandatory indicators rated ‘not met’ at initial assessment are unlikely to have sufficient time during the remediation period to fully embed all the changes required by the time accreditation is awarded.
Requirements
Prior to the repeat assessment
The Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care (the Commission) will:
- Determine the need for a repeat assessment using assessment outcome reports
- Notify the general practice and accrediting agency.
Criteria
General practices with 20% or more mandatory indicators rated ‘not met’ following the initial assessment.
The accrediting agency must confirm the date of the repeat assessment with the Commission and the general practice within 10 business days of the Commission providing notification. The repeat assessment must be conducted within 6 months of the completion of the recent assessment.
If there are one or more indicators not met at the repeat assessment, a remediation period of 20 business days may apply. The assessment and submission of a report to the general practice must be completed within 45 business days of the commencement of the repeat assessment.
Process for repeat assessment
The repeat assessment will be conducted on site for general practices with dedicated physical premises, or virtually for general practices without dedicated physical premises, and must include a review of:
- All mandatory indicators rated ‘not met’ at initial assessment
- Any recommendations made by assessors at initial assessment.
Any mandatory indicator that is reassessed can be rated ‘met’ or ‘not met’.
Outcome of the repeat assessment
The accrediting agency will provide an initial exception report to the general practice within 5 business days of the conclusion of the repeat assessment, identifying indicators that were not met.
Where all indicators are ‘met’, the general practice’s accreditation award remains in place and the accreditation expiry date is unchanged.
Where one or more indicators are ‘not met’, the general practice has a remediation period of 20 business days to address the ‘not met’ indicators. At the end of the remediation period, the accrediting agency will conduct a final assessment to determine if all indicators have been ‘met’.
Accrediting agencies then provide the general practice with a final report within 20 business days. If one or more indicator is rated ‘not met’ at the completion of the repeat assessment, the general practice’s accreditation will be withdrawn.
Withdrawal of accreditation
Following the withdrawal of the general practice’s accreditation:
- The accrediting agency must notify the Commission of the withdrawal within 48 hours
- The Commission will notify Services Australia of the withdrawal.
The withdrawal may impact the general practice’s eligibility for Commonwealth incentive programs that require accreditation against the RACGP Standards for general practices, such as Practice Incentives Program, Workforce Incentive Program – Practice Stream, and MyMedicare.
General practices that have their accreditation withdrawn can arrange reassessment to the RACGP Standards for general practices in full as soon as the accreditation outcome of the repeat assessment has been determined.
Appeal process
General practices have 20 business days from receiving the final assessment report to submit an appeal. Appeals should be made to the accrediting agency in the first instance. Following the completion of this appeal, general practices may appeal to the Commission within 20 business days of receiving the outcome of an appeal to the accrediting agency.
The Commission will only consider appeals where there is evidence that the relevant accrediting agency did not comply with Commission specified policies, processes and/or directions relating to the assessment conducted as detailed in Advisory GP23/02: Request for extensions and appeals.
If the Commission does not determine the general practice’s accreditation should be reinstated, there is no further avenue of appeal.
Costs
All costs of the repeat assessment are the responsibility of the general practice being reassessed.
A flow chart of the standardised repeat assessment process is linked below:
