A I B I C I D I E I F I G I H I I I J I K I L I M I N I O I P I Q I R I S I T I U I V I W I X I Y I Z
Accreditation
Two accreditation bodies exist for general practice. Australian General Practice Accreditation Limited (AGPAL) and General Practice Australia Accreditation Plus (GPA Accreditation Plus).
After hours care
National Association of Medical Deputising Services (NAMDS) definition of medical deputising service
RACGP 'Primary Medical Care Outside Normal General Practice Opening Hours' position statement
RACGP example template of formal agreement with after hours care provider
Complaints management
The Australian Council for Safety and Quality in Health Care has developed the Better Practice Guidelines on Complaints Management for Healthcare Services to provide assistance to health care services when they are developing or improving their complaints management system.
The Health Issues Centre mission is to improve the health outcomes for Australians, especially those who are disadvantaged.
The Turning Wrongs into Rights: Learning from Consumer Reported Incidents project aims to improve the way consumer complaints are managed by health services and link them to quality improvements.
Communication with patients
Doctors Priority Line is a fee-free service for eligible doctors and specialists (generally private practitioners) to help them communicate with patients who do not speak English.
Translation and Interpreter Service (TIS) National provides interpreting services to English speakers, to help them communicate with non English speaking clients, using telephone interpreting, ATIS - the Automated Telephone Interpreting Service and onsite interpreting
National Relay Service (NRS) is an Australia-wide telephone access service provided for people who are deaf or have a hearing or speech impairment. It is also available to anyone who wants to call a person with a hearing or speech impairment.
NABS is the National AUSLAN Interpreter Booking and Payment Service. NABS provides interpreters to Deaf and hard of hearing people who use sign language and would like an interpreter for private medical appointments. It is free of charge to Sign Language users and medical practitioners. All interpreting services to Aboriginal and Islander Sign Language users are provided free of charge for both public and private health appointments.
Community health services
The health services directory provides health and medical information for consumers, quality assured by the Victorian government (Australia), Provided by the Better Health Channel.
Computer Security Guidelines
The RACGP has released the Computer security guidelines, 3rd edition - October 2010
Also see other documents at http://www.racgp.org.au/ehealth/csg
Continuity of care
RACGP factsheet - clinical meeting recognises the importance of clinical meetings in promoting a consistent approach to the diagnosis and management of individual patients.
Doctor's bag
RACGP factsheet - doctor's bag
Drugs and controlled substances
Guide to the Drugs Poisons and Controlled Substances Regulations 2006 provides explanations for some aspects of the regulations that apply to various categories of health professional. It also provides some examples of how compliance may be achieved.
Equipment
RACGP factsheet - practice equipment
Guidelines (Clinical)
The RACGP endorses a wide range of guidelines to assist general practitioners in their work
Health promotion and preventative care
The RACGP Guidelines for Preventive Activities in General Practice (Red Book) provide recommendations for preventive activities built on current evidence based guidelines.
The RACGP Putting Prevention into Practice (Green Book) offers a framework for prevention and a range of effective strategies to improve prevention activities.
Home visits
Human resource management
Orientation and Induction
Indigenous
The RACGP factsheet - the identification of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
Infection control
The focus of the RACGP Infection Control Standards for Office-based Practices (4th Edition) is practice-based risk assessment and staff education in aspects of infection control relevant to the staff member’s role.
The blue book: guidelines for the control of infectious diseases has been published by the Communicable Diseases Section, Public Health Group, Victorian Department of Human Services, to assist public health practitioners in the prevention and control of infectious diseases
Immunisation
Immunisation Handbook 9th edition
Information about the practice
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has developed a guide to explain when GPs may agree on patient fees in light of the decision by the ACCC on 19 December 2002 to grant an authorisation to the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP)
The practice information sheet need to comply with the AMA Code of Ethics
Informed patient decisions
The Australian Council for Quality and Safety in Health Care has produced 10 Tips for Safer Health Care: What Everyone Needs to Know as a reference to refer patients to help create an understanding of shared responsibility between the patient and the practice.
Consumer Medicine Information (CMI) is designed to inform consumers about prescription and pharmacist-only medicines. The CMI Guide provides information about how CMI can be used by consumers and health professionals to build better relationships to achieve the quality use of medicines.
Information technology / Information management
RACGP Handbook For The Management Of Health Information In Private Medical Practice was developed as a best practice model to assist medical practitioners in complying with their legal and ethical obligations in relation to the privacy and confidentiality of personal health information
RACGP eHealth pages.
Legislation
A selection of Victorian legislation and supporting information relevant to health service providers.
Medicines
The Drugs, Poisons and Controlled Substances Regulations 2006. Managing drugs in general practice summary to assist in understanding storage and related requirements in a general practice clinic.
RACGP Standards - Safe and quality use of medicines
RACGP factsheet - S8 medicines (Victoria)
Patient feedback
RACGP factsheet - patient feedback summarises the criteria for which patient feedback is required
Patient health information
The RACGP Health Record has been the record keeping system of choice for many thousands of GPs and the system has assisted them to meet minimum standards for successsful practice accreditation.
The Office of the Health Services Commissioner (HSC) is an independent statutory authority established to receive and resolve complaints about health services. The HSC also handles complaints about disclosure of health information and access to health information.
The Health Records Act (the Act) does not affect ownership of health information, but gives the individual about whom the information relates the right to access that information
Patient education material
Health Translations Directory supports Health practitioners who work with culturally and linguistically diverse communities to find reliable translated health information
Policy and procedures
RACGP factsheet - policy and procedures checklist highlights the written policies required by the RACGP 3rd Edition Standards for General Practice (valid until June 30 2011).
Policy and procedures manual developed by the Dandenong District Division of General Practice.
Risk management
The Australian Council for Safety and Quality in Health Care has worked with the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS) and the States and Territories to develop a protocol for the prevention of procedures performed on the wrong patient or part of the body. The protocol is in line with the RACS Correct Side and Correct Site Surgery Guidelines.
The Safety Every Time checklist has been developed by the RACGP to assist GPs and their practice teams minimise clinical risks and prevent adverse outcomes in general practice.
The RACGP Thinking safety, being safer is an education module focused on 'near misses', and aims to assist a range of professionals identify, prevent and manage medical errors.
RACGP patient safety initiatives continues to undertake work to improve the safety of patients in general practice.
Medical defense organisations provide practices with medical indemnity information, risk management tools and other resources relevant to your area of medical practice.
Triage
Prioritisation of Patients: a Guide to Urgency for Non-clinical Staff (POPGUNS) was developed by South East New South Wales Division of General Practice to provide a standardised approach that practice staff could use to guide patient interactions.
The Prioritisation of Patients: a Guide to Urgency for Non-clinical Staff working in General Practice and flip-chart developed by Dandenong District Division of General Practice
Vaccine management
National vaccine storage guidelines: Strive for 5 document outlining the basic principles for safe vaccine management. A concise, practical, user-friendly guide to vaccine storage, it is aimed at Australian vaccination service providers
