What's in this template?
This infection prevention and control (IPC) policy is designed for Australian general practices preparing for RACGP accreditation under the Standards for General Practices (5th Edition). It maps directly to Criterion GP4.1 — Infection prevention and control, including sterilisation.
The template covers 18 sections addressing every aspect of IPC in a primary care setting:
- Purpose — establishes the practice's commitment to IPC and the regulatory context
- Scope — who the policy applies to (GPs, nurses, admin, cleaners, students, contractors)
- IPC Governance and Responsibilities — IPC Lead, Practice Principal, and all-staff obligations
- Hand Hygiene — WHO 5 Moments framework, ABHR and handwashing technique, audit requirements
- Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) — gloves, masks, P2/N95 respirators, eye protection, gowns
- Respiratory Hygiene and Cough Etiquette — patient signage, mask availability, triage of symptomatic patients
- Environmental Cleaning — routine cleaning schedules, products (TGA-registered), blood/body fluid spill management
- Instrument Reprocessing and Sterilisation — AS/NZS 4187:2014 compliance, critical/semi-critical/non-critical classification, sterilisation monitoring (chemical, physical, biological indicators)
- Single-Use Items and Sharps Management — sharps containers (AS 4031), disposal protocols
- Staff Immunisation and Health — recommended vaccinations for healthcare workers, exclusion criteria for ill staff
- Standard and Transmission-Based Precautions — applying precautions to all patients, additional precautions for known communicable diseases
- Waste Management — clinical waste, sharps, pharmaceutical waste (AS/NZS 3816:2018)
- Occupational Exposure and Needlestick Injury Management — immediate response steps, reporting, post-exposure prophylaxis
- Outbreak Management — notification, enhanced measures, public health authority reporting, post-outbreak review
- IPC Education and Training — induction, annual refresher, targeted training for reprocessing staff
- Monitoring, Audit, and Review — hand hygiene audits, cleaning audits, sterilisation record review, annual risk assessment
- Related Policies — cross-references to WHS, waste management, risk management
- Review History — version control and approval record
Editable placeholder fields
The template includes yellow-highlighted {{placeholder}} fields:
{{practice_name}}— your practice's legal name{{abn}}— Australian Business Number{{practice_address}}— physical address{{phone}}and{{email}}— contact details{{ipc_lead_name}}— designated IPC coordinator{{practice_principal_name}}— practice principal{{hand_hygiene_audit_frequency}}— how often you audit hand hygiene{{spill_kit_location}}— where your spill kit is located{{waste_contractor_name}}and{{waste_collection_schedule}}— waste disposal details{{review_date}}and{{next_review_date}}— policy review dates
RACGP accreditation requirement
Criterion GP4.1 of the RACGP Standards for General Practices (5th Edition) requires that:
"The practice has a system for infection prevention and control, including sterilisation"
To meet this criterion, your practice must demonstrate:
- A written IPC policy that is current and accessible to all staff
- Hand hygiene facilities and monitoring
- Appropriate use of personal protective equipment
- Environmental cleaning schedules and procedures
- Compliance with instrument reprocessing and sterilisation standards (AS/NZS 4187:2014)
- Staff immunisation records and policies
- IPC training for all staff
- Audit and monitoring activities with documented results
Standards and guidelines referenced
- RACGP Standards for General Practices (5th Edition) — Criterion GP4.1
- RACGP Infection Prevention and Control Guidelines — comprehensive IPC guidance for general practice
- AS/NZS 4187:2014 — Reprocessing of reusable medical devices in health service organisations
- AS/NZS 4815:2006 — Office-based health care facilities not involved in complex patient procedures
- Hand Hygiene Australia — national hand hygiene initiative and audit tools
- AS 4031 — Non-reusable containers for the collection of sharp items used in human and animal medical applications
- AS/NZS 3816:2018 — Management of clinical and related wastes
How to customise this template
- Download the Word document and open it in Microsoft Word or Google Docs
- Find and replace each yellow-highlighted
{{placeholder}}with your practice-specific details - Customise Section 6 (Respiratory Hygiene) — describe your practice's specific arrangements for separating patients with respiratory symptoms
- Customise Section 8 (Sterilisation) — if your practice does not reprocess instruments on-site, describe your outsourcing arrangements instead
- Customise Section 12 (Waste Management) — add your waste contractor details and collection schedule
- Review with your IPC Lead — the IPC Lead should review and approve the completed policy
- Display and distribute — ensure all staff have access and new staff receive the policy during induction
- Schedule audits — set up your hand hygiene audit schedule and environmental cleaning audit calendar
Frequently asked questions
Does this template cover sterilisation requirements?
Yes. Section 8 covers the full instrument reprocessing cycle in accordance with AS/NZS 4187:2014, including pre-cleaning, manual cleaning, inspection, packaging, steam sterilisation, storage, and monitoring (chemical indicators, physical monitoring, and biological indicator spore tests).
What if our practice uses single-use instruments only?
If your practice does not reprocess instruments on-site, you can simplify Section 8 to state that the practice uses single-use disposable instruments only and does not perform on-site sterilisation. Keep the section to demonstrate you have considered the requirement.
How often should we audit hand hygiene?
The RACGP recommends regular hand hygiene audits. Most practices audit quarterly using the Hand Hygiene Australia audit tool. The template includes a placeholder for you to specify your chosen frequency.
Can I use this for AGPAL or QPA accreditation?
Yes. Both AGPAL and QPA assess against the RACGP Standards for General Practices (5th Edition). This template is aligned to Criterion GP4.1 and is suitable for use as accreditation evidence with either accrediting body.
Do I need a separate waste management policy?
This template covers waste management within the IPC context (Section 12). For most general practices, this is sufficient. Larger practices or those generating significant clinical waste may benefit from a standalone waste management procedure.