31.10.12
QOF data shows GP practices improving
Data on achievement, exceptions and prevalence from GP practices has been published together for the first time.
The Health and Social Care Information Centre has made data on the GP Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) available.
QOF, the voluntary programme that financially rewards practices through a points system based on quality care, covers areas such as patient experience and management of chronic disease.
In 2011/12, 2.4% of practices achieved the maximum 1,000 points available, compared to 1.3% the year before. On average, practices achieved 96.9%, compared to 94.7% the previous year. 95% of practices have an overall exception rate for the clinical domain of under 10.1%.
HSCIC chief executive Tim Straughan said: “Part of the power of information is how complete a picture it offers. As such I am very pleased to welcome the QOF achievement and exception data being published together for the first time.
“This offers a fuller view of practice activity in relation to the QOF – where achievement and exception reporting can be viewed side by side - than in previous years.
“Today’s figures also offer important estimates based on GP patient registers around the prevalence of common chronic conditions. This information points to high blood pressure as the most prevalent condition on the QOF registers in England, while for age-specific registers, depression is the most prevalent among patients aged 18 and over, affecting about one in 10 registered patients of this age.”
The report is at: www.ic.nhs.uk/pubs/QOF
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