A practical guide for new Australian general practices on when to register, what must be operating beforehand, which evidence to build and how to reach assessment before the 12-month deadline.
Bottom Line
RACGP accreditation survey day is not simply a document check. Assessors test whether the practice’s written procedures, staff knowledge, clinical systems, evidence and physical environment align in day-to-day operation.
The assessment team does not only check whether documents exist. It considers whether the practice meets the relevant RACGP Standards, whether staff understand the systems they use, and whether the available evidence reflects what happens in patient care.
Practice teams commonly call this “survey day”. The National General Practice Accreditation Scheme refers to it as the initial or routine assessment. For practices operating from physical premises, the initial routine assessment is conducted onsite and includes visual inspection, interviews with key personnel and document review.
Your accrediting agency will confirm the date and provide instructions about attendance, access and any material that must be available. By this point, the practice will generally have completed the agency’s self-assessment process and indicated that it is ready for formal assessment.
Coordinate the visit
Prepare the team
Staff do not need to memorise the RACGP Standards. They should understand the systems relevant to their role and know where to locate a procedure or escalate a question. A receptionist who cannot recite every line of the privacy policy is not automatically a concern. A receptionist who does not know how to protect information, respond to an urgent request or find the practice procedure may be.
The accrediting agency appoints a suitably qualified assessment team. The composition can vary according to the practice and assessment arrangements. Assessors work independently and determine whether each applicable indicator is met; they are not there to provide accreditation consulting during the visit.
Important independence rule
A consultant engaged to help a practice prepare cannot attend or participate in that practice’s formal assessment under the national scheme. External readiness support therefore needs to happen before survey day.
1
Confirm the practice profile, team, services and plan for the visit.
2
Speak with staff and inspect clinical and operational areas.
3
Review policies, registers, records and implementation evidence.
4
Discuss preliminary observations and possible not-met findings.
The practice manager is normally central to coordinating the day, but this does not mean one person must answer every question. Receptionists, nurses, GPs, practice owners and other team members may need to explain the systems relevant to their work.
For many general practices, the onsite assessment takes approximately four hours. There is no universal duration, however. Timing depends on the practice’s size, locations, workforce, services and the complexity and accessibility of its evidence.
The practice manager should be rostered to remain available for the entire survey day. They are usually the main contact for the assessment team, coordinate access to evidence, bring in the appropriate staff members and respond to follow-up questions as the assessors move between different areas.
Dedicated time should also be allocated with a practice nurse and GP, usually around 30 minutes to one hour each. Assessors may ask them to explain how they handle situations relevant to their roles, demonstrate clinical or operational processes, and describe what happens when something does not go to plan. Depending on the practice, this may include results follow-up, recalls, clinical handover, cold chain, infection control, urgent presentations and emergency response.
Documents
Assessors compare written procedures with registers, logs, minutes, training records, quality improvement activity and other proof of implementation.
People
Team members may be asked to explain the systems they use, their responsibilities and how they respond when an issue is identified.
Practice
The physical environment and live workflows help show whether documented systems are embedded in day-to-day practice.
A polished policy does not, by itself, prove that a requirement is met. Assessors may look for completed registers, meeting minutes, staff training, incident and complaint records, quality improvement outcomes, equipment records, cold-chain monitoring and examples showing the procedure is followed.
The strongest evidence has a clear trail: the practice identified a requirement or risk, implemented a system, recorded what occurred, and followed up where necessary. This is also why generic documents created without operational implementation can leave practices exposed. See what RACGP accreditation actually tests beyond an AI-generated policy.
Selected workforce records may be reviewed, including registration details, qualifications, credentialing, position descriptions, induction, required training, CPR and role-specific competencies.
Assessors may examine a sample of patient health records and ask the practice to demonstrate systems for patient identification, health summaries, allergies, recalls and reminders, results follow-up, referrals, clinical handover and preventive health. The practice should be ready to provide access to the clinical software used to maintain patient notes and demonstrate the relevant workflows. A procedure stating that results are followed up is weak if the practice cannot demonstrate the workflow or show that outstanding results are monitored and actioned.
The assessment team may inspect reception, waiting areas, consulting rooms, treatment areas, vaccine and medicine storage, staff areas and other spaces relevant to the services provided.
Clinical and safety areas
Environment and access
Survey preparation should also include the practice website, online booking platforms, telephone messages and written information. Assessors may consider opening hours, billing, after-hours arrangements, communication methods, interpreter access, complaints, privacy and services. Inconsistent information can reveal a gap between documented arrangements and what patients are actually told.
There is no universal question script. Questions depend on the staff member’s role, the evidence being reviewed and how the practice operates. Staff should answer honestly and explain what they actually do.
Reception
Nursing
Clinical
Governance
Giving every staff member rehearsed answers can be counterproductive. A better approach is to ensure staff understand their responsibilities, can explain the systems they use and know where relevant information is located.
Assessors may discuss preliminary observations and advise the practice about indicators that could be rated “not met”. The formal outcome is not decided through an informal closing conversation, so the practice should wait for the written report and follow the accrediting agency’s response instructions.
Rating
All requirements of the indicator are fully met.
Rating
Part or all of the indicator requirements have not been met.
Rating
The indicator is not relevant to the practice.
Rating
The indicator is not included in the current assessment process.
5
business days for the initial report after the assessment.
65
business days maximum for remediation where indicators are not met.
20
business days for the final report and accreditation decision after final assessment.
A not-met indicator does not automatically mean accreditation has been refused. The remediation period allows the practice to implement changes and provide additional evidence. Accreditation is awarded when all relevant mandatory indicators are met at final assessment.
Where 20% or more mandatory indicators are rated not met at initial assessment, a repeat assessment is required within six months after the routine assessment is finalised. For more context on recurring gaps, read why practices require RACGP accreditation remediation.
The final week should be used to verify readiness, correct minor issues and prepare the team. It is not enough time to build the practice’s accreditation system from scratch.
For a broader preparation review, use the complete RACGP accreditation checklist alongside this survey-day plan.
Policies matter, but evidence, staff knowledge and observed workflows must support what the documents say.
The manager can coordinate the visit, but the whole team must understand the responsibilities relevant to their roles.
Scripts create anxiety and may not reflect actual practice. Role-based briefing and practical understanding are more useful.
A last-minute document without implementation rarely resolves the operational gap an assessor is testing.
Servicing, missing records, storage problems and outdated information may require more than a quick tidy.
Policies, people, services and workflows drift during a three-year cycle. Previous accreditation is not proof of current readiness.
A structured readiness review tests the practice’s documentation and evidence before the formal assessment. It can expose gaps that are difficult to see internally because the team is accustomed to its own documents, routines and filing systems.
MedAssure’s remote Accreditation Readiness Review assesses policies, registers, staff evidence, quality improvement, patient feedback, governance records and other mandatory-indicator evidence. Where physical evidence is relevant, photos, screenshots or supporting records can be reviewed. The practice receives a written report, risk-rated findings, a prioritised action plan and a debrief call.
Find gaps before survey day
Choose a fixed-fee Standard or Express Readiness Review and receive a practical, risk-rated action plan for your remaining preparation.
View the Readiness ReviewContact MedAssureRACGP accreditation survey day should confirm that a practice’s systems are working, not become the first time those systems are properly tested. Assessors can review documents, speak with staff, inspect the premises and examine how clinical and administrative processes operate.
Practices are best placed when policies, evidence, staff knowledge and observed practice tell the same story. Organising that evidence early and completing an independent readiness review can turn the final weeks from last-minute searching into targeted preparation.
For a general practice operating from physical premises that it manages, the initial routine assessment is conducted onsite. Different arrangements apply to practices without physical premises, while limited hybrid arrangements may be approved in specific circumstances.
The National General Practice Accreditation Scheme states that the initial assessment should generally occur between four and eight months before the practice’s accreditation expiry date. This allows time for reporting, remediation and the final accreditation decision.
No. Staff should understand the procedures and responsibilities relevant to their roles, be able to explain what they do, and know how to locate information or escalate appropriately.
Yes. Assessors may review a sample of patient health records. Practices should be ready to provide access to the clinical software used to maintain patient notes and demonstrate relevant workflows while continuing to protect patient privacy.
No. Under the National General Practice Accreditation Scheme, a consultant engaged to prepare a practice cannot attend or participate in that practice’s formal assessment. Preparation and readiness support must occur before the assessment.
The accrediting agency provides the initial report within five business days after the initial assessment. If remediation is required, the final outcome follows the submission and assessment of the additional evidence.
Official sources
Related MedAssure resources
This article provides general accreditation preparation information and does not replace the RACGP Standards or instructions from your chosen accrediting agency.
