After-Hours Care Policy Template for Australian General Practices

What's in this template?

This after-hours care policy ensures patients know how to access medical care outside practice hours. It maps to RACGP Criterion GP1.3 — Care outside of normal opening hours and covers 13 sections:

1. Purpose — ensuring patient access to appropriate care after hours
2. Practice Opening Hours — customisable schedule for each day of the week
3. Patient Communication — voicemail, signage, website, registration materials, verbal safety-net advice
4. After-Hours Voicemail Message — required content (practice closed confirmation, 000 for emergencies, after-hours service details, nearest ED, Healthdirect number), space for approved script
5. After-Hours Service Arrangements — deputising/after-hours service (name, phone, service type), nearest ED (name, address, phone), nurse helplines (Healthdirect, state-specific), own on-call roster option
6. Clinical Handover — After-Hours Providers — shared clinical systems, verbal/written handover for specific patients, ISBAR framework
7. Follow-Up of After-Hours Encounters — report receipt and filing, GP review timeframe, abnormal finding action, patient follow-up
8. Patients at Higher Risk — safety-net advice for deteriorating conditions, palliative care plans shared with after-hours providers, mental health crisis numbers
9. Service Agreement with After-Hours Provider — scope, coverage, information sharing, reporting, annual review
10. Public Holidays and Extended Closures — voicemail updates, website updates, patient rescheduling, prescription completion
11. Monitoring and Review — quarterly report review, patient feedback, voicemail testing, annual policy review
12. Related Policies — Clinical Handover, Emergency Response, Privacy, Health Records
13. Review History

Editable placeholder fields

• {{practice_name}}, {{abn}}, {{practice_address}}, {{phone}}, {{email}}
• {{weekday_hours}}, {{saturday_hours}}, {{sunday_hours}}
• {{after_hours_service_name}}, {{after_hours_service_phone}}, {{after_hours_service_type}}
• {{nearest_ed_name}}, {{nearest_ed_address}}, {{nearest_ed_phone}}
• {{followup_review_days}} — days within which after-hours reports are reviewed
• {{agreement_review_date}}, {{practice_principal_name}}, {{review_date}}, {{next_review_date}}

How to customise this template

1. Download and fill in all {{placeholder}} fields — start with your opening hours
2. Write your voicemail script using the guidance in Section 4 — include all required elements
3. Document your after-hours arrangements — deputising service, nearest ED, helpline numbers
4. Establish how clinical information is shared with your after-hours provider — shared PMS, secure messaging, or verbal handover
5. Set your follow-up review timeframe — how quickly after-hours reports should be reviewed by the regular GP
6. Test your voicemail — call the practice after hours to confirm the message is clear and accurate

Frequently asked questions

Do we need a formal agreement with our after-hours service?

The RACGP recommends a documented arrangement covering scope of services, information sharing, and reporting. This doesn't need to be a complex legal document — a simple documented agreement reviewed annually is sufficient.

What should our voicemail message say?

At minimum: practice name, confirmation you're closed, next opening time, call 000 for emergencies, after-hours service name and number, nearest ED, and the Healthdirect helpline (1800 022 222). Test it regularly.

How do we follow up after-hours encounters?

After-hours providers should send a consultation report to the practice. The patient's regular GP reviews this within the timeframe set in your policy (e.g. 3 business days). If no report is received for a known after-hours encounter, reception follows up.

Can I use this for AGPAL or QPA accreditation?

Yes. Surveyors will check that patients are informed about after-hours arrangements, the voicemail is appropriate, clinical handover processes exist with after-hours providers, and after-hours reports are followed up.