RACGP Standards 5th edition: Update to GP1.3 After Hours Care

The RACGP has just announced the introduction of an interim amendment to Criterion GP1.3 of the 5th edition Standards for general practices, addressing after hours care requirements.

This change comes in response to feedback from practices and accreditation agencies where local emergency departments decline to enter into formal agreements with general practices (particularly in rural and remote areas).

Criterion GP1.3►B now states:

GP1.3►B Our patients can access after-hours care.

You must:

• Include details of after-hours care the patient has received in the patient’s health record where these have been provided

If your practice cannot provide after-hours care or obtain a formal agreement with an after-hours provider, inform patients how to access synchronous care that is provided by clinicians who meet Australian health professional obligations when the practice is not open. This is an interim measure being used until the publication of the sixth edition Standards.

You could:

• Maintain a roster showing which practice team members are on-call for after-hours
• Participate in a cooperative arrangement with another practice to deliver after-hours care
• Have formal arrangements in place with other providers, such as a medical deputising service, to deliver after-hours care
• Have an agreement with local healthcare providers that operate outside of your normal opening hours
• Have an after-hours phone message that tells patients where they can access after-hours care
• Direct patients to a list of after-hours providers, either on the practice website, social media, after-hours telephone message or posters around the practice

Until the 6th edition is published in 2026, practices that cannot demonstrate agreements with third-party providers, will simply have to demonstrate that they inform patients how to access real-time care provided by clinicians who meet Australian professional obligations.

To read the RACGP’s specific amendment to Criterion GP1.3, download the RACGP information sheet by clicking here.

Please be aware that this update to Criterion GP1.3 is effective immediately and will formulate part of AGPAL’s accreditation assessment process.

For any additional queries or for accreditation support please reach out to your AGPAL Client Liaison Team for personalised support.