New Sterilisation Rules for General Practices to Begin by 2028
12 Jun 2026
The updated guidance from the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) focuses on how reusable medical instruments are cleaned and sterilised. It introduces a required risk-assessment process so practices can decide the correct level of sterilisation based on their services.
Under the revised section, manual cleaning alone will no longer meet the standard for instruments that need sterilisation. Instead, practices will be expected to use a washer–disinfector as part of the cleaning process before packaging and sterilisation.
The update aligns with requirements from Standards Australia and applies mainly to general practice settings, not highly specialised procedures such as endoscopy, which must follow separate technical standards.
Chair of the RACGP Expert Committee – Standards for General Practices, Dr Louise Acland, said the changes were designed to reflect what is realistically done in general practice while still meeting national safety standards.
She noted that the new rules may require practices to adjust workflows and invest in new equipment. However, she also said the change could reduce nursing time spent on manual cleaning tasks.
The transition period, which runs until 2028, matches updates from the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care, giving practices time to prepare.
The RACGP has also released supporting resources, including guidance documents and videos, to help practices adapt. It is also working with accreditation bodies and encouraging support through Primary Health Networks to help cover potential costs.
New Sterilisation Rules for General Practices to Begin by 2028
Source: RACGP newsGP