When patients visit a GP, they have the right to effective care underpinned by a strong practice in safety culture. That’s why the RACGP is reviewing the Standards for General Practice, writes Dr Louise Acland.
The RACGP is seeking to harness change to develop standards that are flexible, outcome-focused, and reflective of modern Australian general practice.
To assist with that aim the RACGP is seeking your feedback on the draft of the sixth edition Standards for General Practices.
The College’s mission has been to co-produce contemporary, evidence-based standards so when patients visit an accredited general practice, they can expect to receive care that is:
- Safe and effective
- Patient-centred, with support and inclusion in decision-making
- Continuously improving
- Underpinned by a strong practice safety culture.
What’s new in the sixth edition?
The second draft has a new format that has been designed to reduce complexity, improve usability, and be consistent with international best practice.
The reformatted structure includes:
- Patient expectation statements
- Criteria and sub-criteria (bulleted)
- Explanatory materials such as:
- Why this is important – rationale for each criterion
- Meeting this criterion – practical examples and approaches
- Thirty-one fewer criteria than in the fifth edition
Outcomes-focused criteria
The criteria in the sixth edition focus on patient outcomes while practices can develop systems and processes for their preferred ways of working.
Having been co-designed with healthcare consumers, the new statements provide insights into consumer expectations when they visit a practice.
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The statements support shared decision-making and whole-person care; encourage practices to demonstrate respect, coordination, and responsiveness; and provide clear guidance on what patients need, value, and expect.
New areas of focus
There are several new areas of focus in the sixth edition of the standards, reflecting the current landscape of general practice today.
Foundations of general practice
- Artificial intelligence
- Defining and planning for the practice
- Digital health technologies
- Environmental sustainability and responsibility
- Practice team culture
Clinical governance
- Changes to digital clinical information systems
- Facilitation of patient health records
- Access to resources to reduce inappropriate antibiotic use
- Risk assessment for reusable medical devices
Patient participation
- Communications that support timely, effective care and partnerships
- Broadened informed consent for third-party presence as well as for clinical procedures
- Provision of care when the practice is closed
Continuous quality improvement
- At least one clinical improvement activity every 12 months, which includes the use of coded clinical data
- Environmental sustainability improvement initiatives
A suite of supporting resources is being developed that will include webinars, FAQs, and best-practice guides to assist practice teams transition to the sixth edition.
Have your say on the new standards
The second draft of the sixth edition of the standards is open for public consultation until September 28.
Your insights will help identify gaps, test the clarity of the explanatory materials, and determine whether the structure provides meaningful support to practices.
Every submission will be reviewed by the RACGP Standards Committee and Standards Team. Changes have been made to this second draft as a result of the feedback received on the first draft.
I look forward to working with you to shape the future of general practice in Australia.
The Standards for General Practice are available for comment here.
ED: Dr Louise Acland is the Chair RACGP Expert Committee – Standards for General Practices
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