Registration changes under the National General Practice Accreditation

The Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care (the Commission) has released an important update to the National General Practice Accreditation (NGPA) Scheme. Advisory GP25/01 outlines changes that will affect new general practices registering for accreditation from 1 November 2025.

What’s changing

Key changes from the new Advisory include:

• 12-month registration period – Practice registration will now be limited to a 12-month period from the date the contract with an approved accrediting agency is entered.
• Operational requirement – The practice must be operational at the time of registration and able to demonstrate it can meet all applicable mandatory RACGP indicators for general practices.
• Unique Practice ID – Once the contract is in place, the accrediting agency will notify the Commission, and the registering practice will be assigned a unique practice ID and registration expiry date.
• Certificates – Your registration certificate will be issued after this process, and cannot be issued immediately upon signing the contract.
• PIP – While the Practice Incentives Program (PIP) expiry date may extend beyond the new registration expiry date, the registration expiry is now the key reference point for accreditation timelines.
• Limited extensions – Extensions of the registration period will only be granted in extenuating circumstances, meaning practices should not rely on being able to extend their registration.
• Assessment timelines – Your initial assessment should be scheduled at least four months before the registration expiry. This will allow sufficient time for any remediation, final assessment and award of accreditation.
• Assessment process – This includes an initial on-site or virtual assessment, a preliminary report within five business days, a remediation period of up to 65 business days if needed, and a final decision about your practice. If accreditation is granted, it will be valid for three years. If this is unsuccessful, you will need to start the process again.

Why this change matters

These changes are designed to strengthen oversight of the accreditation process and ensure practices are ready to demonstrate compliance with the RACGP Standards from the time they register.

What practices need to do

If you are a new practice planning to register for accreditation under the NGPA Scheme:

• Ensure your practice is operational before registering.
• Be prepared to meet all mandatory RACGP Standards indicators.
• Allow enough time in your planning for certificate processing and Commission approval.
• Base your accreditation timelines on your registration expiry date rather than your PIP date.

To read the full advisory, visit the Commission’s website.

We are here support practices through each step of the process, from registration to final accreditation. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact our Client Liaison Team to discuss timelines and prepare effectively for registration under the new requirements:

P: 1300 362 111 |  E: info@agpal.com.au