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.
The application
All practices will need to meet the eligibility criteria to enable to 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.
Additional sites or branch practices
- The registrar can choose up to 3 practices as an FSP Training site. If a practice has additional sites or branch practices, the registrar intends to apply as an FSP Training site, they should consider which of the following categories is relevant, as this information is required in the application
- Branch practices – The training sites are directly related (eg a main practice and branch or multiple sites of the same facility). Sites use the same systems, share medical software, and staff often work across sites. All sites will be managed as a single accredited facility. A registrar may work at any of the branch practices, providing supervision is adequate and the registrar agrees.
- Group practices – The practices are linked organisationally but function independently within a network (eg corporate practices or a group of facilities that share administration but operate autonomously). These sites will be treated as different training sites, and each requires its own separate accreditation. In your application, please describe the facility management and ownership structure of the facility, and any impact on registrars.
- Co-operative arrangement – A training site enters into an arrangement with another training site, whereby the registrar will work in both sites concurrently (eg academic posts, university clinical practice, a registrar who is working in a small hospital and a private practice or working concurrently in two private practices that are not affiliated). In this situation the training sites will work with the registrar to achieve agreement on overall supervision arrangements, distribution of the teaching load, and strategies for fatigue leave and patient safety, especially if the registrar is required to perform on-call duties.
After hours and on-call arrangements
Training sites will be asked to provide their opening hours and the hours that the primary and secondary supervisors 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.
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.
Additional or advanced skills
If the supervisor applicants have additional recognised skills or conduct procedures in a discipline in which registrars can obtain further clinical or educational opportunities, these may be listed in the application to be endorsed. Supporting documents will be required and the discipline should be included in the relevant supervisor’s CV.
New supervisor application
Supervisor nominations will occur via the FSP registrar application and will undergo an Eligibility process. However, sometimes a supervisor may apply for direct accreditation, such as when:
- If the applicant is already accredited and is applying to add or change a location, information previously provided doesn’t need to be resubmitted. The local medical educator will conduct an interview with the prospective supervisor(s) to ensure all aspects of the supervisor role are discussed and understood.
Reaccreditation
The reaccreditation process is informed by ongoing monitoring of practices 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 critical incidents relating to the performance of training sites and supervisors and relevant information shared by practice accreditation agencies (with the practice's consent).
We encourage you to view reaccreditation as an opportunity to review your practice’s learning environment and plan future enhancements.
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 to the National Accreditation Unit 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.