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General practice tool kit

Your practice premises

Designing your practice

Table of contents

Supplementary material

Last revised: 24 Oct 2019

Things to consider

Whether you are building from the ground up, or moving into existing premises, you will need to consider the practice’s:

layout (including accessibility and how spaces link to each other)
furniture and non-clinical practice equipment
lighting
heating, cooling and ventilation
clinical equipment
technology
safety and security (including OH&S requirements, emergency exits, duress systems)
waste management
sustainability.

Each of these are explained in more detail below.

RACGP Standards

This section refers to:

Criterion GP5.1 – Practice facilities

GP5.1 A Our practice’s facilities are fit for purpose.
GP5.1 B All face-to-face patient consultations in our practice take place in a dedicated consultation or examination space.
GP5.1 C Our consultation spaces permit patient privacy and confidentiality.
GP5.1 D Our practice has a waiting area that accommodates its usual number of patients and other people who would be waiting at any given time.
GP5.1 E Our practice has access to toilets and hand-cleaning facilities.
GP5.1 F Our practice is visibly clean.

Criterion C2.3 – Accessibility of services

C2.3 A Our patients with disabilities or special needs can access our services.

View the standards >

Key resource

General practice - a safe place

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