FAQ
Answers to your questionsFrequently Asked Questions
What you can expect from us
Who is Quality Practice Accreditation (QPA)?
Quality Practice Accreditation is approved by the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care to accredit general practices across Australia. QPA is the only accreditation provider who specialises solely in general practice.
What are the benefits of my General Practice being certified by QPA?
QPA Accreditation provides assurances to patients and the community, that a QPA general practice meets the highest standards for safety and the quality delivery of patient care. It is a signifier of excellence that patients should actively seek when choosing a general practice for their family. QPA delivers an engaging, constructive and productive program that ultimately empowers our practices to deliver the best patient outcomes.
QPA accredited practices are:
- Dedicated to being patient-focused
- Investing into a standard of quality, excellence and continual improvement
- Continually striving for the best possible health care and wellbeing outcomes for their patients
- Ensuring all equipment, systems and processes are in place to provide patients with safe, quality care
What can my practice expect during the certification journey?
After the practice application has been processed, your practice will be contacted by your assigned Quality Accreditation Manager (QAM). Your QAM will be your point of contact throughout the certification journey.
They will assist with providing resources to help with your self-assessment and survey visit.
After your survey visit is completed, you will be sent a non-conformity statement and then a draft report with a chance for any factual comment. Your final report will then be issued to your practice and to our Certification Authority. Once certified, you will receive your certificate in hard copy and via the Connect portal.
What standards will my practice be certified against?
General Practices will be assessed against the RACGP 5th edition Standards for general practices and services are assessed against the RACGP 5th edition Standards for after-hours and medical deputising services. The 5th edition RACGP Standards are focused on patient outcomes and quality improvement. Our values as an organisation are in line with the 5th edition Standards.
What standards will my practice be certified against?
Your practice will be assessed against the RACGP 5th edition standards for general practices and for services they will be assessed against the RACGP 5th edition standards for after-hours and medical deputising services. The 5th edition of the RACGP standards are focused on patient outcomes and quality improvement. Our values as an organisation are in line with the 5th edition standards.
What standards will my practice be certified against?
Your practice will be assessed against the RACGP 5th edition standards for general practices and for services they will be assessed against the RACGP 5th edition standards for after-hours and medical deputising services. The 5th edition of the RACGP standards are focused on patient outcomes and quality improvement. Our values as an organisation are in line with the 5th edition standards.
Are there resources that QPA can provide to assist my practice during accreditation?
Yes, QPA’s Connect portal contains a comprehensive suite of resources to support your practice team.
Your QAM will work with your practice team to ensure you are provided with the resources best suited to your practice. We also have a comprehensive fortnightly webinar program that can be accessed by yourself and your team for training purposes.
Does QPA supply a P&P template?
Yes, we have a Policy and Procedure template which is designed in a format to help you make your manual a live working document for your practice team. There is no need for practices to create a new P&P manual, however our template provides guidance to ensure your existing manual is compliant against the 5th edition Standards.