North Nowra Medical Practice has received the top honour of Re- Accreditation from Australia’s most respected accreditation body, Australian General Practice Accreditation Limited (AGPAL).

AGPAL Chair Dr Richard Choong said the accreditation award shows that the practice makes a significant investment in quality on a day-to-day basis from the top down.

“Achieving accreditation is a major achievement for any practice and it is a clear demonstration that NORTH NOWRA MEDICAL PRACTICE is seeking to improve their level of service to both patients and the community,” he said. “Practices seek accreditation because they want to be the best and view this as another step toward excellence.”

The AGPAL accreditation program was developed jointly by AGPAL and various doctor’s organisations including the AMA. It is a voluntary national program that aims to provide a range of guarantees to patients by accrediting the practice environment. To achieve this endorsement, a practice team works for 12 months to implement the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) Standards for General Practices, which is the recognised standard nationally for assessment for general practice.

The standards train staff in areas such as ensuring vaccines are within their use-by-date and are stored in the correct temperatures; that the practice equipment is clean and sterile and the practice has emergency care available. Dr Choong said accreditation is attainable only through cooperation and communication between staff members.

“Everyone at the practice plays a valuable role in working to meet the standards. It gives staff a real sense of pride to work in an accredited practice,” added Dr Choong.

“We want to communicate to our patients that their wellbeing is our priority. By being accredited, our patients know we are committed to providing quality care that meets the RACGP’s standards.”

WHAT DOES ACCREDITATION MEAN FOR OUR PRACTICE?

Accreditation means that our practice meets strict Standards set by the Royal College of General Practitioners (RACGP), acknowledging our commitment to safe, high quality health care.

WHAT DOES ACCREDITATION MEAN TO YOU?

Visiting an Australian General Practice Accreditation Limited (AGPAL) accredited practice means you have peace of mind knowing our practice:

• uses clean and sterile equipment
• keeps your patient record secure
• staff complete regular education and training
• respects your rights and needs a patient, and
• provides you with  safe ,high quality health care

For further information on AGPAL, please visit www.agpal.com.au or free call 1300 362 111.