Published on 6 Oct 2025

Gap analysis of barriers to general practice accreditation

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The Department of Health, Disability and Ageing engaged Allen + Clarke to undertake research into why 16% of Australian general practices were unaccredited. Through stakeholder interviews, document analysis and targeted surveys, we identified the key barriers and enablers of accreditation. Our research delivered 12 actionable recommendations that supported the Department's implementation of the 2021 Review of general practice accreditation arrangements and more broadly contributed Australia’s primary care reforms.

Key Takeaways:

  • Our mixed-method approach revealed barriers and enablers of general practice accreditation.

  • Targeted recommendations were designed to address barriers and strengthen motivators to accreditation.

  • Anonymised case studies of GP and practice manager experiences provided rich context for our recommendations, and insights into accreditation across different location and practice settings.
The gap analysis positioned the Department to develop more effective, tailored approaches to supporting general practices through the accreditation process, ultimately supporting delivery of high-quality, safe primary healthcare.

Searching for insights into why general practices were unaccredited

Approximately 16% of general practices across Australia remain unaccredited. Following their 2021 review of general practice accreditation arrangements, the Department needed deeper insights into why these practices weren't participating in the National General Practice Accreditation Scheme and what would motivate them to participate.

In August 2023, the Department engaged Allen + Clarke to undertake a gap analysis of general practice accreditation. This work aimed to identify opportunities for providing targeted support to general practices that would support increased accreditation levels, and to identify barriers across the accreditation system that could be addressed. 

Our task required nuanced understanding of general practice operations and the complex factors influencing accreditation decisions. Drawing on our extensive experience across Australia's health system, we designed a research approach that would generate deep and actionable insights.

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Our methodology

We implemented a mixed-method strategy that combined document analysis with extensive stakeholder engagement. 

This approach enabled us to gather rich qualitative and quantitative data that revealed a more complete picture of accreditation barriers and enablers. Our analysis provided detailed insights into the characteristics of unaccredited practices, and the complex factors influencing their decisions around accreditation.

  • Review of 20 documents to establish context and identify existing knowledge gaps

  • Interviews with 46 key stakeholders including Primary Health Networks, unaccredited practices, the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care, accreditation agencies, and researchers

  • Development and administration of online surveys for unaccredited general practices

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Identifying barriers to accreditation as well as motivations and enablers

We identified several key barriers preventing practices from seeking or achieving accreditation, as well as factors that motivate and enable accreditation.

To bring these findings to life, we developed anonymised case studies based on our consultation data. These narratives illustrated the real experiences and perspectives of GPs and practice managers, providing valuable context that helped humanise the statistical findings and create a more complete understanding of the accreditation landscape.

Based on our analysis, we developed 12 targeted recommendations designed to address the identified barriers and build upon potential motivators. These practical, actionable recommendations provided the Department with clear pathways to support improved accreditation rates across Australia's general practices.

Our work delivered three significant outcomes:

  • Provided the Department with insights into the accreditation barriers faced by the previously under-researched segment of unaccredited general practices

  • Contributed valuable evidence to inform the implementation of the 2021 Accreditation Review recommendations

  • Supported broader primary care reforms by highlighting specific areas where targeted interventions could strengthen Australia's healthcare system

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Interconnected coloured pathways forming abstract network diagram