The next in the series of action briefs on health care accreditation published by the World Health Organization (WHO) comes from the Australian General Practice Accreditation Limited (AGPAL). AGPAL was established in 1997 by industry members as a provider for general practice accreditation and quality improvement services within Australia. AGPAL is a not-for-profit organisation who works with general practices, Aboriginal medical services, medical deputising services, after hours services and Royal Flying Doctor Services in Australia supporting them on their accreditation and quality improvement journeys.

The action brief provides a background to and overview of general practice accreditation which was introduced in Australia in 1992. It outlines the incentive mechanisms which have been introduced incrementally by the Commonwealth Government over the years to encourage participation in the general practice accreditation programme including the Practice Incentives Program (PIP), the Practice Incentives Program Quality Improvement Incentive (PIP QI) and the Workforce Incentives Program (WIP). Accreditation of general practices in Australia is voluntary. Nonetheless, the participation rate is high with a 2020 report indicating that 84% of general practices in Australia are accredited.

The action brief outlines key challenges for implementation of the general practice accreditation scheme in Australia including the perceived discrepancy between the costs and benefits of accreditation, a lack of leadership and engagement by GPs in the accreditation process, the scope and focus of accreditation standards and the unique challenges faced by rural and remote practices. It suggests potential strategic interventions and support mechanisms which could be employed to address the barriers and challenges which in turn could maximise the value and impact of accreditation in primary care.

The full action brief may be accessed HERE