For a practice manager, accreditation is a project: many criteria, a lot of evidence, and a survey date that does not move. A clear checklist keeps the whole team pointed the same way.
The checklist
- Self-assess against every criterion in the RACGP 5th edition Core, Quality Improvement and General Practice modules.
- Flag the must-meet indicators and confirm each is satisfied.
- Gather evidence for each indicator and keep it in one place with the evidence tracker.
- Run a gap analysis so you know what is not yet met and what to fix first.
- Keep clinical systems current - infection control, cold chain, sterilisation and reprocessing, emergency equipment.
- Document quality improvement activities and staff training.
- Track your accreditation cycle so the survey never sneaks up.
- Prepare with your provider - see AGPAL or QPA preparation.
Make it a shared effort
The strongest practices spread the load: clinical leads own the clinical indicators, the practice manager owns governance and evidence, and everyone contributes quality-improvement work. A single readiness score gives the whole team one number to move together.
Frequently asked questions
Who prepares a practice for accreditation?
It is a whole-of-practice effort, usually coordinated by the practice manager, with clinical leads owning the clinical indicators and the whole team contributing evidence and quality-improvement activities.
How far ahead should we start?
Give yourself time to gather evidence, run a gap analysis and close gaps well before the survey. Tracking your accreditation cycle means the date never sneaks up.