CPD and QI answers

Cultural safety and Aboriginal health

QI for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health, the program-level requirements, and designing an activity with the affected patient group, not just for them.

Last reviewed: July 2026. Part of the complete CPD and QI FAQ.


Are there specific QI activities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health?

Yes. Practices serving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients can run QI activities around health assessment uptake (item 715), chronic disease management, and culturally safe care. PIP QI measure 9 (cervical screening) and measure 1 (HbA1c) are commonly used as starting points.

How do the RACGP program-level requirements interact with QI?

The RACGP program-level requirements (culturally safe practice, health inequities, professionalism and ethical practice) are an annual CPD obligation. A QI activity that addresses health inequities in your patient population can count toward both the program-level requirement and the QI category.

What cultural safety considerations apply to QI?

The QI methodology itself is the same; the topic, the patient engagement and the outcomes need to be culturally informed. For practices with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients, this often means co-designing the activity with the patients, the ACCHO, or the community-controlled health sector.

How do I avoid QI activities that entrench bias?

Audit the data you use. If your smoking status recording is high but your cervical screening rate is low for a defined patient group, the QI activity is the gap, not the recording rate. The activity should be designed with the affected patient group, not just for them.


CPD requirements, hour allocations and category structures are set by the MBA, RACGP and ACRRM. The PIP QI measures and payment rates are set by the Department of Health and Aged Care and Services Australia. Always verify current requirements directly with the relevant body before finalising your CPD plan. This page is general guidance and does not replace official college or government resources.