The RACGP accreditation process
Accreditation aims to ensure that the standard of general practice training is uniformly high throughout Australia with appropriate role models, experience, supervision, teaching and access to suitable facilities and resources. The principles underlying the accreditation of training sites and supervisors are:
- providing a safe environment for the registrar and the patient
- providing quality training suitable for the registrar’s training needs
- ensuring supervision is matched to the training needs and competence of the registrar.
Provisional accreditation is granted for the first six months, during this period the training site and supervisor must undertake all accreditation requirements.
Successful progression to full accreditation for both training sites and supervisors is for a three-year period. If not all requirements have been met, this may result in conditional accreditation with monitoring put in place or a determination to not accredit.
If a training site or supervisor is unable to meet the accreditation standards, the registrar may be required to transfer to another training site to continue their training. In turn, the registrar will no longer be able to provide services under the RACGP issued Medicare provider number.
The application
All practices will need to meet the eligibility criteria to enable the application to progress. As part of the accreditation process all practices nominated by the registrar to be a training site will undergo a virtual site visit.
Reasons for applying for accreditation
It's important to consider why the training site staff, as a collective, want to have a registrar at the training site and that the reasons are clearly articulated in the application.
The supervisory team and training site should all share responsibility for the registrar's training in a supportive, collegial way to ensure a positive training experience.
After hours and on-call arrangements
Training sites will be asked to provide their opening hours and the hours that the supervisor/s is/are physically at the training site to ensure appropriate availability of supervision. Supervisors are required to match the level of supervision to the registrar’s competence and the context of the training situation.
- Supervision is on-site for a minimum of 80% for GPT 1 and 2
- Supervision is on-site for a minimum of 50% for GPT 3 and 4
- Registrars are not working more than 50% of their rostered hours after hours (outside 9.00 am - 5.00 pm).
In rural locations, if the registrar is required to participate in the emergency on-call roster or as a VMO, you will need to consider how the registrar will be supervised during these times or how they can access support.
Review of application and site visit
The application from the registrar will be reviewed by the Eligibility team during the application process, which includes assessing suitability of the training site and supervisor. They will liaise with the training site if further information or clarification is required.
The FSP Accreditation team will arrange a virtual site visit with the training site and a ME will conduct an interview with the prospective supervisor(s) to ensure all aspects of the supervisor role are discussed and understood. Please note that supervisors are required to make themselves available for an interview with an ME at their earliest convenience as this is a mandatory requirement in the accreditation process.
It is essential for practice managers and supervisors to understand that having a registrar start the program at the practice does not guarantee accreditation. They must be fully aware of the required standards and demonstrate a commitment to achieving them.
Reaccreditation
The reaccreditation process is informed by ongoing monitoring of training sites and supervisors. We monitor adherence to accreditation standards through the many points of contact with the site and supervisor, including:
- informal liaison
- professional development activities
- registrar feedback
- supervisor feedback
- external clinical teaching visits
- the registrar placement process.
We also consider any adverse events (including critical incidents) relating to the performance of training sites and supervisors.
We encourage you to view reaccreditation as an opportunity to review your practice’s learning environment and plan future enhancements, and to verify that all components of supervision requirements continue to be met.
Training site and supervisor de-accreditation
RACGP Training site and supervisor de-accreditation snapshot - FSP
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Automatic supervisor de accreditation
Reasons for automatic de accreditation:
Supervisor with Ahpra conditions, undertakings, restrictions or suspensions imposed on their registration.
Supervisor requests voluntary withdrawal from the program.
Lapsed accreditation and non-compliance with reaccreditation requests.
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Automatic practice de accreditation
Reasons for automatic de accreditation:
The practice is no longer an accredited general practice (e.g. Agpal/QPA).
The practice no longer has an adequate onsite supervisory team to support registrars at all levels.
Note: this is not applicable where an alternate model of supervision has been approved.
The practice has requested voluntary withdrawal as a training site.
Lapsed accreditation and non-compliance with reaccreditation requests.
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Remediation and conditions
Reasons for remediation or conditions may be imposed for:
- inadequate patient load - too high or too low
- inadequate level of supervision - supervision needs to meet the competency of the registrar.
- inadequate teaching
- no orientation
- supervisor not completing PD requirements
- inappropriate Medicare billings
- professionalism issues
- lack of registrar interest in the practice
- lack of feedback from the registrar or engagement with the training team.
Correspondence will include time frames for completion of remediation conditions. |
FSP Accreditation Panel Meeting
Remediations, conditions and progress towards completion are discussed at all FSP Accreditation meetings.
The FSP Accreditation Panel approves all de accreditation decisions, except automatic de accreditations.
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De accreditation
Once a decision to de accredit a practice or supervisor has been made, the FSP Accreditation team will issue correspondence advising of the decision.
Options for reconsideration of the decision will be communicated.
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Reconsiderations and Appeals
If you’re not satisfied with a decision about your accreditation status, you can apply for reconsideration through the reconsiderations and appeals process.
Applications for reconsideration should be submitted using the accreditation decision reconsideration request form.
If you’re still not satisfied with the reconsideration decision, you can apply to the RACGP to appeal the decision using the RACGP Accreditation decision application for appeal form.