On 12 June 2026, the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) updated its guidelines regarding the reprocessing of Reusable Medical Devices (RMDs) to align with AS/NZS 5369:2023.
If your general practice cleans and sterilizes surgical instruments onsite, this update directly impacts your daily workflows and your path to accreditation.
AS 5369:2023 Compliance for Dental and Medical Clinics: What You Need to Know
The Big Shift for GP Practices: Manual Cleaning Alone is No Longer Sufficient
Under the updated RACGP guidance, manual pre-cleaning alone is no longer acceptable for general practices reprocessing RMDs.
To support consistent, repeatable cleaning and thermal disinfection, and to reduce staff exposure to contaminated instruments and sharps risks. RACGP-accredited GP practices that reprocess RMDs onsite must use a washer-disinfector for pre-cleaning from 1 January 2028.
Key dates for practice managers and clinical leads:
- 12 June 2026: Guidance released aligning RACGP standards with AS/NZS 5369:2023.
- 1 January 2028: Mandatory enforcement date for RACGP accreditation audits.
Why the change?
Automated washer-disinfectors remove human variability from the cleaning process. They deliver validated, recordable cycle parameters (thermal disinfection values) that protect both patients and healthcare personnel.
Understanding the Nuance Across Sectors
It is vital to distinguish between explicit accreditation mandates and general standard alignment:
| Sector | Mandate Status | Recommended Strategy |
| RACGP-Accredited GP Practices | Mandatory from 1 January 2028 | Transition to a washer-disinfector now to secure seamless accreditation. |
| Dental, Podiatry & Specialist Clinics | Best Practice under AS/NZS 5369 | Upgrade to automated washing for superior risk reduction, workflow speed, and staff safety. |
Note: While AS/NZS 5369 applies broadly to healthcare settings using RMDs, the standard itself does not mandate washer-disinfectors for every non-GP clinic. However, state regulations and professional boards strongly favor automated pre-cleaning.
Practical Solution: Rhima DVS Benchtop (DVS-BT)
Transitioning to automated washing doesn’t require a complete sterilizing room overhaul or losing limited counter space.
The Rhima DVS-BT (Benchtop Washer-Disinfector with Dryer) is engineered specifically to fit directly onto existing clinical benchtops, offering high-level thermal disinfection without the footprint of freestanding units.
Why the DVS-BT fits general practice and clinical setups:
- Compact Footprint: Sits directly on standard practice workbenches.
- Thermal Disinfection & Active Drying: Ensures instruments are clean, thermally disinfected, and thoroughly dried before autoclave packaging.
- Complete Traceability: Microprocessor controls log temperature and cycle parameters for effortless compliance auditing.
- Staff Protection: Eliminates manual scrub stations, dramatically lowering needle-stick and sharps risks.
Visual representation of Rhima’s Instrument Washer Disinfectors
Plan Your Transition Ahead of 2028
Waiting until late 2027 risks equipment delivery backlogs and hurried staff retraining. Upgrading early allows your team to embed automated workflows comfortably well before mandatory audits begin.