Competencies arranged by Milestone

Foundation

Progressive capability profile of the specialist general practitioner

Table of contents

Last revised: 11 Aug 2025

Competencies at foundation level

The specialist GP as a communicator

Capability	Theme	Foundation Level Competencies
Communicate effectively with patients and families	Patient-centred communication	Adapt communication to patient needs, health literacy and context
	Communication where there are language barriers	Tailor communication style to effectively interact with patients where there are language barriers in the general practice context
	Navigating challenging conversations	Communicate effectively with patients and carers in challenging situations, assessing understanding and enabling patients to make informed decisions about next steps
	Shared decision making	Acknowledge and explain to patients when there are options, so they understand there is choice and the benefits and harms
	Therapeutic relationship	Establish therapeutic relationships in the general practice context
	Navigating transference and countertransference	Being aware of the impact of transference and countertransference on the consultation
Practice culturally respectful, responsive and safe communication	Communicating with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples	Demonstrate cultural sensitivity by using culturally appropriate communication and rapport building skills with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples
	Communicating with Culturally and Linguistically Diverse peoples	Demonstrate culturally safe communication in consultations with patients of culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, including ensuring understanding and the use of interpreters when needed
Communicate relevant information efficiently to others involved in a patients care	Team communication and handover	Effectively communicate with the care team including highlighting important information for patient care
	Communication with others in the practice	Demonstrate through their communication, respect for others who work in the practice and their roles within the practice

The specialist GP as a clinician

Capability	Theme	Foundation Level Competencies
Provide person-centred and comprehensive care, using a biopsychosocial approach	Person-centred approach	Identify psychological, social and cultural factors that impact the patient and the opportunities for person-centred care
	Comprehensive care with continuity	Provide care considerate of the patient’s physical, mental and social health and facilitate continuity of care when possible
	Strengths based approaches with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples	Recognise the cultural strengths and values of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples to support the delivery of person-centred care
	Trauma-informed	Demonstrate an understanding of the health and wellbeing impacts of trauma, and describe the principles of trauma-informed care in practice
Conduct consultations to effectively facilitate care	Consultation management	Demonstrate a structured approach to consultations including agenda negotiation, setting reasonable expectations for what is achievable, and planning follow up
Apply expert medical knowledge and skills in assessing and diagnosing conditions	Clinical information gathering	Obtain relevant history, perform a focused examination and rationally select investigations relevant to the general practice context to inform care
	Diagnostic reasoning	Interpret and synthesise complex clinical assessment and diagnostic information to reach high probability diagnoses
Manage the full range of presentations including providing first contact access	Urgent, emergent, time sensitive care	Identify clinical deterioration, escalate care and manage appropriately within the general practice context
	Management planning	Develop management plans that are considerate of patient preferences and evidence, identifying opportunities for patient self-care and management
	Prescribing	Prescribe safely and lawfully, including management of polypharmacy
	Procedures	Safely undertake procedures in general practice context with appropriate supervision
Manage uncertainty and assess undifferentiated presentations	Management of uncertainty	Address uncertainty and complexity in clinical encounters in a safe manner
	Assessment and management of undifferentiated presentations	Assess and manage a range of conditions, including first contact undifferentiated presentations, and seek assistance when needed
Promote health and deliver preventive care	Promoting health and wellbeing	Identify and prioritise preventive care opportunities in consultations including opportunistic preventive actions and education
	Health education and health literacy	Proactively provide some opportunistic health education about potential future health needs
	Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples	Understand the importance of specific preventative health screening for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and apply it in clinical practice
	Public health	Identify public health risks seen in general practice and manage appropriately within the consultation

The specialist GP as a health advocate and leader

Capability	Theme	Foundation Level Competencies
Advocate for access to care	Advocate for individual patients	Recognise potential approaches to addressing barriers to healthcare for patients
	Addressing health inequality and inequity	Identify culturally appropriate health services to support individuals from specific population groups to optimise health
	Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health	Understand the key social, colonial, historical and systemic factors contributing the health inequities experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples
	Systemic causes of inequity, including discrimination and racism	Identify potential approaches to addressing systemic healthcare barriers
Coordinate care and lead healthcare teams	Working within a multi-disciplinary team	Identify patient care needs and coordinate care with relevant team members
Coordinate care and lead healthcare teams	Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health	Identify opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health experts to be part of the healthcare team
Responsibly steward healthcare system utilisation	Rational use of Australian healthcare system	Use the healthcare system in the context of general practice and rationally use resources
Promote practice quality, safety and viability	Technology	Use eHealth systems appropriately in the delivery of patient care
	Practice systems	Utilise core practice systems in general practice to provide safe quality care
	Near misses and adverse events (including critical incidents)	Identify and discuss with supervisor, near misses and adverse events (including critical incidents) in the general practice context
	Quality improvement initiatives	Understand how quality improvement principles can be applied in general practice
	General practice as a business	Recognise the value of clinical services provided and how that contributes to the practice as a business
	Safe workplaces	Participate in ensuring the general practice work environment is physically, mentally and culturally safe and supported

The specialist GP as a professional

Capability	Theme	Foundation Level Competencies
Behave in a professional and ethical way	Professional behaviour	Integrate professional codes of conduct into practice in the general practice setting
	Therapeutic boundaries	Recognise threats to therapeutic boundaries and know how to access support in maintaining therapeutic boundaries
	Ethical issues	Understand key ethical issues in the general practice context
Practice self-care	Self-care	Recognise the importance of personal health and wellbeing and practice self-care in the GP context and identify strategies to achieve this, including seeking professional advice when needed
Engage in reflective practice and ongoing learning	Feedback and learning	Seek, engage and respond to feedback on performance. Identify learning needs, and access resources and support to address those in the general practice context
Engage in reflective practice and ongoing learning	Reflective practice	Engage in reflective practice during consultations and engage in dialogue about own performance
Understand own professional competency	Self-evaluation to enhance care provision	Identify professional limitations and seek appropriate help as required in the general practice context
Understand own professional competency	Cultural competency	Understand and use basic strategies to manage the impact of your cultural lens and privilege on patient care, in the context of general practice
Meet legal and duty of care responsibilities	Legal obligations	Understand and respect duty-of-care and legal responsibilities in the general practice context
Meet legal and duty of care responsibilities	Medical records and reports	Provide and/or access resources to support provision of accurate medico-legal documentation

The specialist GP as a scientist, educator and researcher

Capability	Theme	Foundation Level Competencies
Integrate best available scientific evidence into practice	Critical appraisal and integration of evidence	Access and appraise clinical guidelines to assist in clinical decisions in the GP context
Support learning and improvement through education, mentoring, and engagement with research	Educator and mentor	Provide support and education to others in the practice
	Research literacy	Identify common research methods used in the general practice context to address clinical questions
	Research engagement	Identify the benefits and challenges of participation in research for patients and practitioners in the general practice setting
	Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Research	Identify and understand the principles of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and community-led research that respects Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander priorities, knowledge systems and ways of being and doing

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