Training site and supervisor accreditation

FSP training site accreditation encompasses a review of your submitted information and documents as well as a virtual site visit to answer additional questions that the RACGP accreditation team and you may have about your practice as a training site. It also allows the RACGP to review the practice environment to ensure it meets standards for general practice training.

Yes.

The FSP training site accreditation is based on the on the Accreditation Standards for Training Sites and Supervisors. This is to ensure that your practice meets the minimum standards to support a registrar on their journey towards fellowship. The FSP training site accreditation is the final step to be able to host FSP registrars.

No.

As the Standards for General Practice Training cover all programs, a separate accreditation is not required. You are however, required to familiarise yourself with the program requirements for each program, FSP or AGPT or both.

• The FSP site accreditation will be conducted virtually via the Zoom platform. It is not held in person.
• The virtual site visit should not take more than 45 minutes to 1 hour.
• We request that the practice manager attend the site visit.
• Supervisors and registrars are not required as part of the virtual site visit. Supervisors will be invited to attend a meeting with a Medical Educator separately.
• The focus of the virtual site visit will be on the practice environment, review of the registrar consulting room, a general discussion on their teaching and supervision / roster and other general questions related to the practice and staff to ensure that your registrar is supported during their time in FSP.
• It is recommended that you read through the Accreditation standards for training sites and supervisors and the FSP resources prior to the visit.
• The site visit will not focus on the teaching plans or the practical learning component of the training program.

There is no cost associated with the accreditation of your practice as an FSP training site. This is conducted as part of your practice hosting a registrar on the Fellowship Support Program.

If your practice is accredited as a ‘training site’ for the Fellowship Support Program (FSP), your accreditation will be valid for three years from the issue of accreditation with interim monitoring to maintain your accreditation. After three years, if your practice continues to host a FSP registrar, your practice will need to undertake a reaccreditation to maintain the FSP training site status.

Whilst the standards are the same for all RACGP training programs, for an accredited practice to participate in the AGPT pathway and host AGPT registrars there is an additional criteria required to be fulfilled and this, would require further assessment at a regional/local level by the AGPT team.

It is common for fellows of RACGP and ACRRM to be to be approached by a registrar applying for the FSP program or the practice owner/manager at a practice, asking them to become a supervisor.

A supervisor is responsible for ensuring that patients seen by the registrar are managed appropriately and safely. This means that the supervisor must ensure they assess the registrar’s competency (where is my registrar at? [see progressive capability profile]) and ensure that the level of supervision matches the level of the registrars’ competency.

The supervisors core tasks can be found here.

There are multiple tools you can use for this such as direct observation, random case analysis, case-based discussion, reviewing documentation, audit of inbox as well as reviewing the registrars’ MCQ report, identifying areas of learning needs.

The early assessment for safety and learning (EASL) pack consists of a number of the tools to help make the decision about registrar competency. This should be done in the first 2 weeks of the registrar commencing their term at the practice. This aids you to develop a clinical supervision plan for your registrar. Instructions on completing this can be found here. Identification of learning needs and creating a teaching plan is also important at this this stage.

For further questions regarding EASL and support related to assessing your registrar please email us on fspadmin@racgp.org.au and you will be linked in with a medical educator.

Whilst having access to an accredited supervisor who is located at the training site is the best model for supporting a registrar, in certain circumstances an accredited supervisor who is off-site (remotely supervising) may be the only option. Please refer to Expectations of off-site supervisors in the Fellowship Support Program for further information.

The RACGP has a cap of 3 registrars per accredited supervisor across all training programs. This is to ensure that registrar safety and wellbeing are prioritised and that each registrar is able to have their own learning needs met.

Whilst we encourage vertical integration in multi learner practices, it is important for the registrar to have access to a supervisor at all times.

If you are currently supervising more than 3 registrars please contact FSPOperations@racgp.org.au to discuss how best to manage this. If you are asked by a doctor to be their supervisor, please ensure you remain under this cap.

As discussed previously this depends on the competency of the registrar which is initially assessed at EASL. Ongoing assessments need to be done to ensure that the registrar is progressing, and this will determine the supervision requirements.

Generally, availability of the supervision should be based on the progressive capability profile.
 

*An accredited supervisor is responsible for the registrar at all times. Where an accredited supervisor is not available or accessible outside of the requirements a specialist GP who is not an accredited supervisor may support the registrar. Any periods of absence > 2 weeks need to be discussed with the RACGP FSP team to ensure that appropriate steps are in place to support registrars.

**Off-site, remotely located supervisors need to be accessible for registrars for these minimal requirements.

To be accredited as a supervisor you need to:

• Complete the Foundations of GP Supervision Program (Modules 1-7)
• Complete the RACGP Introduction to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultural Awareness module.
• Complete a 30-minute supervisor interview with an RACGP Medical Educator*

The online modules are accessible any time once you have signed the supervisor agreement. We encourage supervisors to complete these modules as soon as possible, ideally prior to the registrars starting at the practice and prior to your FSP supervisor accreditation interview. You do have up to 90 days for completion of the modules from the start of supervision to complete the modules.

You can access the online learning modules by logging into the RACGP website, clicking on ‘My Account” then by clicking “gplearning2023’. If you have any issues accessing the learning modules listed above, please contact gplearning@racgp.org.au

*You will be contacted by the accreditation team for FSP to set up a virtual interview.

The supervisor interview is a short informal discussion with a Senior Medical Educator. There is no expectation for you to prepare for the interview however we recommend prior to the interview that you:

• Familiarise yourself with the FSP supervision and educational requirements
• Complete the online modules prior to the interview.
• Be able to discuss your experiences in supervising registrars and how you would use your experience to support your registrar.
• Prepare any questions that you might have about the program.

General registration indicates that your registrar has fulfilled the medical boards requirements for competency expected of a doctor with general registration. FSP is an educational program that is a pathway to fellowship and recognition as a specialist GP. It requires specific curriculum to be delivered and competencies to be met. This program requires an accredited supervisor for the time in practice to count towards the program. Additionally, it not only focuses on clinical still but also development of communication and consultation skills, identity as a general practitioner and a reflective lifelong learner. Despite general registration some registrars may have also had minimal exposure to the Australian health system particularly primary care.

The Foundations of supervision modules have been designed after extensive research and through the National Curriculum for GP Supervisors. Whilst we acknowledge and value the experience that supervisors bring, the 7 modules aim to ensure that supervisor skills are benchmarked at the current standards. In completing the modules, new supervisors will gain insight into the skills required for supervision whilst experienced supervisors will be able to build and refine these skills. Additionally, the RACGP, as per the AMC standards, is required to have a standardised process for accrediting supervisors hence this model has been implemented as of 2023.

The Foundations of Supervision Program, along with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultural Awareness module can be found on GP learning. If you have any issues accessing the learning modules, please contact gplearning@racgp.org.au.

Each module can take up to an hour to complete. All modules can be completed online.

1. Introduction to being a GP supervisor.
2. The start of the supervision placement
3. Consultation observation
4. Day-to-day supervision
5. Random case analysis
6. In-practice teaching session summary
7. Problem case discussion 8. Consolidating initial learning

After the completion of these three activities the information with a recommendation is provided to the FSP Accreditation Panel who ultimately decide on accreditation status, full, conditional, or not to progress.

You will receive a certificate of accreditation at the end which is for 3 years from the first date of the intake on which you commenced supervision.

We encourage you to identify areas of supervision that needs further development and to complete PD. The RACGP will endeavor to provide you with PD opportunities via virtual means throughout the year. Demonstration of supervisor professional development and cultural competencies will be a part of the reaccreditation process.

Reaccreditation will be done prior to the expiration of your accreditation (which is usually 3 years if you are fully accredited) and will encompass reflection of supervision of your registrar/s as well as SPD.

We are yet to finalise the process for reaccreditation and will communicate in advance about this process.

All supervisors and training sites are accredited to the same standards. The two programs are unique and have nuanced differences. If your training site has become a part of the AGPT placement pool then we recommend that you discuss any additional supervision professional development requirements with the regional /local team.

The FSP resources page contains handbooks, guides, and templates to assist you throughout the FSP.