RACGP Standards 6th edition: key takeaways from the AGPAL introductory webinars

The release of the RACGP Standards for general practices 6th edition marks the next stage in the evolution of general practice accreditation in Australia. 

To help practices familiarise themselves with the new Standards, AGPAL hosted two introductory webinars presented by Megan Best, Senior Coordinator, AGPAL Accreditation. Each session provided an overview of the new structure, some of the key changes practices should be aware of and practical considerations as they prepare for transition. 

The new Standards build on familiar foundations while introducing new and strengthened expectations that reflect contemporary general practice, including digital health, artificial intelligence (AI), patient participation, sustainability, workforce wellbeing and clinical governance. 

While accreditation under the National General Practice Accreditation Scheme currently continues against the 5th edition, practices are encouraged to begin familiarising themselves with and implementing the 6th edition as part of their existing quality improvement activities and preparation for future assessment arrangements. 

AGPAL’s transition support is already underway, with these introductory webinars marking the first step in a broader program of guidance, education, resources and updates that will progressively build as practices move through the transition journey. 

Below, we have summarised some of the key takeaways from the webinars and practical considerations for practices. 

Understanding the new Standards structure  

One of the first changes practices will notice is how the 6th edition is organised. There are four core Standards: Foundations of general practice, Clinical governance, Patient participation and Continuous quality improvement (CQI). A fifth Standard covering Point-of-Care Testing (PoCT) is optional and applies where relevant. 

Requirements have also been reorganised across the new framework. Patient-related requirements are more clearly grouped under Patient participation, while clinical safety systems, including clinical information, medicines, follow-up, infection prevention and control, vaccines and equipment, sit within Clinical governance. Practice operations, workforce, privacy, technology, risk and planning are brought together within the Foundations of general practice Standard. CQI is now structured as a core Standard in its own right, reinforcing the role of continuous improvement across everyday practice. 

The RACGP has also published a useful 6th to 5th edition mapping document to help practices understand where familiar 5th edition requirements now sit within the 6th edition. 

The mapping is a useful starting point, but practices should use it as a navigation tool rather than a substitute for reading the 6th edition in its own right. Once you have located a familiar requirement, read the relevant criterion, sub-criteria and supporting guidance in full, as changes in wording or additional requirements may affect what your practice needs to demonstrate. 

Understanding the new terminology 

The 6th edition introduces some important changes in terminology. What were previously called indicators are now criteria, while requirements previously described as “must” statements are now sub-criteria. 

The criterion sets the broader expectation, while the sub-criteria describe the actions or processes that support it. Supporting guidance and consumer expectation statements provide further context about the intent of the requirement and what it means in practice. Practices should consider these elements together rather than reading the sub-criteria in isolation. 

There are also important distinctions between terms such as “practice team” and “employed members of the practice team”. “Practice team” is the broader term and includes everyone who works for or provides care from the practice, including employed staff and independent medical practitioners. “Employed members of the practice team” is narrower and refers specifically to people employed directly by the practice. 

These differences matter because they can affect who a requirement applies to and what evidence the practice may need to demonstrate. Pay close attention to defined terms when reviewing each requirement and consider who is captured by the wording. 

How systems work in practice 

The 6th edition retains an outcomes-focused approach, giving practices flexibility in how they meet the intended outcomes. This recognises that different practices may achieve the same outcome in different ways depending on their size, location, workforce, patient population and model of care. 

Policies, procedures and other documentation remain important evidence, but practices should also consider how those documents translate into everyday practice and whether the systems they describe are understood and consistently applied by the practice team. 

Rather than focusing solely on whether a policy or procedure exists, practices can ask: How does this system operate in our practice? Does our team understand it? Can we demonstrate that it achieves the intended outcome? 

AI as a governance consideration 

AI is one of the key new areas explicitly addressed within the 6th edition. A useful starting point is understanding where AI is already being used across the practice. This could include clinical tools, administrative software, transcription and summarisation tools, inbox management or other AI-enabled systems. 

Practices should consider what information is being entered into these tools, when patient consent may be required, who is responsible for reviewing AI-generated outputs and what safeguards are in place. The 6th edition also introduces expectations around clinician accountability, data protection, team training, risk assessment and ongoing monitoring. 

A practical first step is to identify the AI-enabled tools already in use and consider whether appropriate controls are in place. This can help practices understand where further governance, guidance or action may be needed. 

Sustainability in practice 

Environmental sustainability has greater visibility in the 6th edition, connecting environmental responsibility with governance, practice operations and CQI. 

This does not mean practices need to undertake a major sustainability project immediately. A practical approach is to start with achievable actions that suit the practice’s size, setting and resources and build on these over time. 

Practices might begin by identifying who will coordinate sustainability activities and considering areas of impact such as waste, energy use, procurement, consumables and clinical processes. From there, practices can identify achievable actions and record and review what has been done, what has changed and where further improvements could be made. 

The focus is on embedding practical sustainability actions into existing practice systems and progressively strengthening them through continuous improvement. 

Patient participation remains central 

Patient experience and participation have greater visibility throughout the 6th edition, including through consumer expectation statements that sit alongside the criteria and describe what consumers value, need and expect from their general practice. 

Practices need meaningful ways to understand patient experience and use what they learn to monitor, review and improve care. This can include formal surveys, structured patient experience measures, complaints and compliments, patient discussions, focus groups, advisory groups or other approaches appropriate to the practice and its population. 

These approaches can complement each other and provide different types of insight. Informal feedback can help practices understand individual experiences and emerging issues, while structured measurement can help practices hear from a broader patient group, identify patterns and trends, monitor patient experience over time and generate meaningful insights to inform quality improvement. 

Practices should consider what patients are telling them, identify themes and opportunities for improvement, and use these insights to inform changes in care or practice systems. This connects closely with CQI, where patient experience insights can sit alongside clinical data, incidents, complaints and identified risks to inform improvement activities. 

Explore patient experience insights further 

CFEP Surveys’ Practice Accreditation Survey is identified in the 6th edition guidance as a validated Patient Reported Experience Measure (PREM) for primary care. 

Join the upcoming CFEP Surveys Lunch and Learn – Patient Feedback: From Insight to Improvement to explore practical ways to turn patient insights into meaningful action and support continuous quality improvement. 

Wednesday 30 September | 12.30pm–1.00pm (AEST)
REGISTER HERE  

Preparing for transition with AGPAL  

There is no need to address everything at once. Practices can start by understanding where their existing systems already align with the 6th edition and identifying requirements that are genuinely new, materially strengthened or may take more time to implement. 

AGPAL’s involvement as the exclusive accreditation agency selected to participate in the RACGP 6th edition pilot program has given our team valuable early insight into how the Standards translate across different general practice settings. We will draw on this experience to help practices progressively build readiness for transition and future assessment. 

Our support will evolve as practices move through the transition journey.

Through this phased approach, we will help practices understand the changes, prepare with confidence, put the Standards into practice, and continue to strengthen and improve over time. 

Your AGPAL Client Relationship Team will also be available throughout your accreditation journey to provide personalised support and help you understand what the changes mean for your practice. 

For now, continue with your current accreditation preparations while beginning to incorporate relevant 6th edition requirements into your existing systems and quality improvement activities. AGPAL will continue to keep you informed and build our support as further transition and assessment arrangements are confirmed. 

You can read the full RACGP Standards for general practices 6th edition here.