SPQF vs RACGP Standards vs NSQHS Standards
Australia has well-established quality frameworks for general practices (RACGP Standards) and hospitals (NSQHS Standards), but nothing equivalent for specialist medical practices. The Specialist Practice Quality Framework (SPQF) fills that gap - a free, voluntary, self-assessed quality standard designed specifically for specialist consulting practices.
Last updated March 2026
Side-by-side comparison
| SPQF | RACGP Standards | NSQHS Standards | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Designed for | Specialist medical practices (referral-based) | General practices (GP clinics) | Hospitals and day procedure services |
| Cost | Free (CC-BY 4.0) | Free to access; accreditation costs apply | Free to access; accreditation costs apply |
| Assessment method | Self-assessed | External surveyor (accrediting body) | External surveyor (accrediting body) |
| Mandatory or voluntary | Voluntary | Voluntary, but required for PIP eligibility | Mandatory for hospitals |
| Structure | 8 domains, 57 statements, 369 indicators | 5 standards, multiple criteria and indicators | 8 standards, multiple actions |
| Governance | Published by Clinically (open source) | Published by the RACGP | Published by the ACSQHC |
| Scope | Practice-level quality across clinical governance, safety, effectiveness, experience, information, workforce, environment, and improvement | Practice-level quality covering clinical care, rights, safety, organisational requirements, and practice services | Organisation-level quality covering clinical governance, partnerships, infection, medication, comprehensive care, blood, deterioration, and cognitive impairment |
| Current edition | Version 1.0 (2026) | 5th Edition (2020) | 2nd Edition (2021) |
When to use which framework
Use the SPQF if:
- You run a specialist medical practice where patients are seen by referral
- You are a solo specialist, a multi-specialist group, or a specialist practice with a procedure suite
- You want a structured quality benchmark but do not need (or want) external accreditation
- You want a free, self-paced self-assessment tool
Use the RACGP Standards if:
- You run a general practice (GP clinic)
- You need accreditation for Practice Incentives Program (PIP) eligibility
- You require formal certification by an accrediting body
Use the NSQHS Standards if:
- You operate a hospital, day hospital, or day procedure service
- Your facility is required by law to hold NSQHS accreditation
- You provide services in a setting that falls under state/territory health service licensing
Frequently asked questions
Specialist medical practices that see patients by referral should use the SPQF. The RACGP Standards are designed for general practices (GP clinics) and are tied to formal accreditation for PIP payments. The NSQHS Standards are mandatory for hospitals and day procedure services. The SPQF is the only framework designed specifically for specialist consulting practices.
The RACGP Standards are not designed for specialist practices. They address general practice-specific requirements like Practice Incentives Program (PIP) eligibility, GP training, and continuity of primary care. While the underlying quality principles are similar, specialist practices operate differently - they see patients by referral, often perform procedures, and have different governance structures. The SPQF is calibrated for these differences.
The SPQF is an independent, voluntary framework published by Clinically under a Creative Commons licence. It is informed by the principles of the NSQHS Standards and other internationally recognised frameworks, but it is not issued or endorsed by the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care (ACSQHC). It fills a gap where no equivalent standard exists for specialist consulting practices.
It depends on your setting. If your practice operates within a hospital or day procedure service, you are already subject to mandatory NSQHS accreditation. If you run a standalone specialist consulting practice, the NSQHS Standards do not apply to you and the SPQF is the relevant framework. The two are complementary in principle but designed for different settings.
Ready to explore the framework?
The SPQF provides eight quality domains with practical indicators and evidence guides. Start with the framework overview or jump straight into a self-assessment.