Interactive checklist
Opening a GP clinic in Australia
The practical steps to get a new general practice up, running and accreditation-ready — tick each item as you go, it saves on this device.
Please read: this is general, plain-English guidance to help you map out the work — it is not legal, financial, medical or accreditation advice, and requirements change. Confirm the current detail for your situation with the official regulators linked at each step, and your own accountant, solicitor and medical defence organisation.
Tick items as you complete them — your progress is saved in this browser (nothing is sent anywhere). Reference links open in a new tab.
1
Business & legal foundations
- Decide your business structure (sole trader, company, partnership or trust) with an accountant — it affects tax, liability and how you pay doctors.
- Register an ABN and, if needed, a business name and GST.
- Open a business bank account; set up bookkeeping/accounting (e.g. your preferred accounting software).
Official: business.gov.au · abr.gov.au (ABN) · asic.gov.au
2
Premises & fit-out
- Secure a location and lease; plan the fit-out to meet infection prevention & control standards (treatment rooms, hand hygiene, sterilising or single-use, a compliant vaccine fridge, clinical waste, accessibility).
- Meet work health & safety obligations for the workplace.
Official: RACGP — Running a practice · Safe Work Australia
3
Clinical & practice software
- Choose a clinical records system (practice management software) for patient records, prescribing and billing — this is your core clinical system.
- Add the operational layer around it: compliance, SOPs, rosters, logs and accreditation evidence.
Where clinic-admin fits: clinic-admin is the operations & compliance layer, not your clinical records system — it holds no patient data. You still choose a clinical PMS for patient records; clinic-admin handles the compliance, accreditation and day-to-day running alongside it.
4
Medicare & registrations
- Each practitioner needs current AHPRA registration.
- Apply for a Medicare provider number for each practitioner at the new location.
- Set up PRODA and HPOS access, Medicare Online / bulk-billing bank details.
- Consider MyMedicare registration for the practice (voluntary patient registration).
Official: ahpra.gov.au · Services Australia — Health professionals (provider numbers, PRODA, HPOS, MyMedicare)
5
People
- Hire doctors, nurses and reception; put employment or contractor agreements in place against the relevant award.
- Collect and track staff credentials — AHPRA, CPR, professional indemnity — and run an onboarding checklist for each role.
Where clinic-admin fits: tracks every staff member’s CPR / AHPRA / indemnity with expiry reminders, role-based onboarding checklists, and optional QR check-in / hours.
6
Insurance
- Professional indemnity for each practitioner (via a medical defence organisation).
- Public liability, workers’ compensation, business/contents, and consider cyber cover.
Talk to your medical defence organisation and a business insurer for current cover and amounts.
7
Policies, procedures & compliance
- Build the policy and SOP suite: infection control, cold chain, privacy, emergency / anaphylaxis, complaints and open disclosure, incident reporting, WHS, recruitment, and more.
- Set up your logs: fridge temperatures, cleaning, sterilising, incidents.
Where clinic-admin fits: a new clinic starts seeded with 10 starter SOPs, policy templates, a cold-chain / fridge log, an incident system, and starter consumables — so this step begins mostly done rather than from a blank folder.
8
Accreditation
- General practices are accredited against the RACGP Standards for general practices (6th edition), through the National General Practice Accreditation (NGPA) Scheme, via an accrediting agency (for example AGPAL or GPA/QPA).
- Accreditation is a three-year cycle and is required to access the Practice Incentives Program (PIP), as well as being a recognised mark of quality.
- A new practice typically registers for accreditation early and works toward the Standards — start the evidence trail from day one.
Official: RACGP Standards (6th edition) · NGPA Scheme · AGPAL · GPA
Where clinic-admin fits: a live Accreditation Readiness check against the 6th-edition criteria, with a generated evidence pack — so you can see at a glance what is ready and what still needs attention before the assessment.
9
Keep it running
- Stay on top of PIP / WIP and other key regulatory dates, credential expiries, CPR renewals and ongoing CPD.
- Keep the logs and reviews current — it makes each accreditation cycle far easier.
Where clinic-admin fits: key-date reminders (PIP, WIP, drug authority, accreditation renewal), expiry alerts and a daily “what needs attention” view keep the ongoing compliance from slipping.
Official sources
Check current requirements here