Criterion C8.1 – Education and training of non-clinical staff

Why this is important

Administrative staff have a vital role in the provision of safe and quality care and therefore require training appropriate to their role.

A practice that supports education and training of non-clinical staff fosters continuous improvement and risk management.

Meeting this Criterion

Training relevant to the role

Training may cover areas such as:

• your practice’s procedures
• use of technology (hardware, systems and software)
• first aid
• medical terminology
• medical practice reception
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural awareness
• cross-cultural safety
• communicating with patients with communication needs (eg patients from culturally and linguistic diverse backgrounds or those with a communication impairment)
• safe operation of specific equipment.

Practitioners or other members of the practice team can deliver in-house or ‘on the job’ training in practice-specific areas, such as:

• using the patient health records system
• making appointments
• recognising medical emergencies when patients present in reception
• confidentiality requirements
• the practice’s policies and procedures.

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training

CPR training can be conducted by an accredited training provider or by clinical team if qualified to do so. These clinical team members must have a current CPR instructor’s certificate that complies with Australian Resuscitation Council (ARC) guidelines on instructor competencies.

CPR training must comply with ARC guidelines and include the operation of an automated external defibrillator (AED) according to manufacturer's instructions. The ARC requires that trainees physically demonstrate their skills and competency at the completion of the CPR course. CPR training that is completed solely online does not meet this requirement.

Practice equipment  

Meeting each Indicator

C8.1 A Our non-clinical staff complete training appropriate to their role and our patient population.

You must:

You could:

• record each employee’s qualifications in employment files
• specify required qualifications in job descriptions for each non-clinical role in the practice team
• keep training logs that record training that non-clinical team members have completed
• demonstrate how non-clinical practice staff are trained to facilitate the use of interpreters
• demonstrate that practice team members seek to provide a culturally safe experience for their patients (see Criterion C2.1 – Respectful and culturally appropriate care for further information)
• demonstrate how staff have access to cultural awareness education and ongoing cultural upskilling
• keep a training calendar listing opportunities for professional development and training that has been completed
• conduct annual performance reviews that identify learning and development goals
• store documents that record training needs and training completed
• demonstrate that non-clinical staff have undertaken infection prevention and control training appropriate to their role
• demonstrate that non-clinical staff know who is responsible for infection prevention and control at your practice.

C8.1 B Our non-clinical staff complete cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training at least once every three years.

You must:

You could:

• keep training logs that record training that non-clinical team members have completed
• keep a training calendar listing opportunities for professional development and training completed
• plan annual performance reviews
• store documents that record training needs and training completed.