Become an
AGPAL Surveyor
Shaping the safety and quality of
general practice in Australia.
AGPAL Surveyors join our contracted workforce and are remunerated on a per-assessment basis. There is no requirement for AGPAL Surveyors to ‘give up’ their current working commitments. Your surveyor commitments fit in with your professional and personal life. You can do as much as you wish or the minimum requirement - which is only five on-site assessments per year (equivalent to just two and a half days).
Becoming an AGPAL Surveyor opens up a range of benefits to break up your regular practice schedule including: travel, networking, knowledge sharing, and contributing to safety and quality.
Safety and quality
At its foundation, accreditation is a measure to improve safety and quality in practice. It’s for this reason that many of our Surveyors take part in the assessment process.
Understanding the important role accreditation plays in bettering patient care, our Surveyors take pride in actively contributing to improving safety and quality in general practice throughout Australia.
Educate yourself and others
As an AGPAL Surveyor, you’ll gain unique insight into a diverse range of practices, full of new people and new experiences. This is a great opportunity to learn from others in the industry who have innovations, and tips and tricks to add to your professional repertoire.
Additionally, sharing insights into your past experience works to benefit the teams undergoing assessment. Parting your professional knowledge and expertise to others is an incredibly valuable aspect of the accreditation process that’s not necessarily outlined within the Standards.
Networking
As an AGPAL Surveyor, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to meet and connect with a range of like-minded GPs, practice managers, nurses, other healthcare workers.
If you’re trying to raise your professional profile, leverage your network for new ideas, strengthen your business connections or create new friendships. Being an AGPAL Surveyor is a valuable way to connect with other experts across the primary healthcare space.
Travel
Whether it’s on the other side of the city or interstate, traveling as an AGPAL Surveyor provides a chance to revisit or discover new regions of Australia.
Many of our Surveyors choose accreditation assessments based on their location. As an AGPAL Surveyor you can take this opportunity to get out of your own practice, and experience parts of Australia you may not have had the chance to visit under normal circumstances.
Interested in becoming an AGPAL Surveyor?
What's a surveyor's role in accreditation?
The three main phases of a surveyor’s work are:
- The pre-assessment reading
- The on-site assessment, and
- The post-assessment reporting.
Pre-assessment reading
Pre-assessment reading includes the client’s self-assessment of their practice against the RACGP Standards and relevant legislation.
On-site assessment
During the on-site assessment, Surveyors gather evidence of the practice’s level of compliance against the Standards by completing the required observations and interview activities. The Assessment Team (usually made up of one GP and one Co-Surveyor) may identify how to best support the practice with quality improvements by making recommendations to close potential or actual gaps in service, or discussing additional opportunities.
This input is intended to drive continuous improvement in areas that are relevant and important to the practice; thus, contributing to continuous improvement in safety and quality of the primary healthcare sector.
The minimum on-site assessment time is four hours, but it can be more based on the practice’s size and staff numbers.
Post-assessment reporting
The third and final phase of an assessment is completed when Surveyors report their findings and recommendations to AGPAL.
Reports are quality checked to ensure objectivity and validity of findings. The final report is the principle source of evidence used by our Decision Makers to determine the awarding of accreditation or corrective actions required.
The entire assessment process is facilitated by AGPAL’s proprietary software, AccreditationPro. From the time a client submits their self-assessment to when AGPAL awards them accreditation, AccreditationPro is our supporting technological tool.
AccreditationPro enables our Surveyors to be certain that all requirements of the Standards have been consistently and comprehensively assessed. AGPAL Surveyors are confident their ratings and recommendations are accurate, objective and valuable.
Interested in becoming an AGPAL Surveyor?
Surveying with AGPAL
Commitment required
Each year, AGPAL Surveyors are required to undertake a minimum of five assessments and complete at least one mandatory training session. Apart from what is practicable, there is no maximum limit on the number of assessments Surveyors can carry out each year.
Each Assessment Team has an AGPAL Assessment Coordinator who plans the on-site assessment activities to optimise the time of everyone involved. This role is usually undertaken by the Co-Surveyor; however, the GP Surveyor is also welcome to do so.
AGPAL’s clients
Our clients are general practices, after hours and medical deputising services in all Australian states and territories. We offer specialised accreditation for Aboriginal medical services, rural and remote organisations, corporate groups, peak bodies and PHNs, and offer the option of multi-accreditation against additional standards and frameworks.
With 5000+ (and counting) clients, AGPAL Surveyors are valued for being the technical and professional experts in all assessment-related matters.
Pathway to becoming an AGPAL Surveyor
AGPAL’s comprehensive Surveyor Training Program ensures all Trainee Surveyors are supported through the process of becoming a qualified AGPAL Surveyor.
AGPAL’s onboarding process requires trainee surveyors to complete a range of eLearning and two hands-on, on-site assessment activities. AGPAL’s eLearning modules enhance the learning experience allowing trainee surveyors to undertake self-paced learning around their own schedules.
To support Trainee Surveyors with familiarising themselves with the RACGP Standards requirements and AGPAL’s assessment systems and software, modules include a Surveyor Induction, an overview of the RACGP Standards, AccreditationPro (AGPAL’s bespoke assessment software), Report Quality Framework and Report Writing.
As each Surveyor’s experience deepens, we provide ongoing annual training to support and enhance assessment skills. Surveyors are also provided with the opportunity to engage in professional networking events to help build relationships and exchange knowledge and learnings amongst their peers.
To provide greater insight into the AGPAL Surveyor onboarding process, refer to the diagram below. If you’re ready to express your interest, complete our form.
