RACGP clarifies accreditation rules for modern general practices
19 Aug 2026
The updated interpretive guide explains how the broader definition of general practice applies to different models of care while maintaining the core requirements of comprehensive, patient-centred, whole-person and continuous care.
Non-traditional practices can include services operating in residential aged care facilities, mobile disability outreach programs, and rural, remote or Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community settings.
Under the updated definition, an eligible general practice can provide care to a specific patient group, provided the care remains comprehensive. Practices also no longer need to operate from a fixed physical location.
However, care must remain GP-led, comprehensive and continuous. Services providing limited or non-continuous care are not eligible for accreditation.
Practices seeking accreditation must also demonstrate that they operate independently and meet the relevant Standards in their own right. They cannot rely on another organisation’s accreditation, governance arrangements or systems to show compliance.
Accreditation agencies will assess whether practices meet the definition, with the final decision on eligibility made under the accreditation scheme.
The updated guide also supports practices during the transition to the current 5th edition Standards. The RACGP’s 6th edition Standards are currently being developed and are due for release this year.
RACGP clarifies accreditation rules for modern general practices
Source: RACGP newsGP — RACGP updates interpretive guide for non-traditional general practices.