Health Minister Michael McGimpsey said the latest Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) achievement figures by GP practices showed sustained high achievement and reflect his determination to drive forward improvements in patient health care in Northern Ireland.
Under the new Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF), GP Practices are rewarded for outcomes they achieve with their patients. The practice's doctors, nurses and staff work as a team to provide high quality care to their patients, for example, in the management of chronic disease such as diabetes.
The Minister said: “GP practices in Northern Ireland have once again delivered outstanding results under QOF, achieving almost 98% of the total points available and maintaining their high performance from previous years.
“Practices are remunerated, through QOF payments, for achieving excellent results in the provision of high quality care. This investment in GP practices directly benefits patients through the high quality care they receive. GPs can justifiably be proud that the care they are providing to their patients is bringing about real improvements.”
Notes to Editors:
1. The information is published by the Department of Health, Social Services & Public Safety (NI), available from the Quality & Outcomes Framework section of this site http://www.dhsspsni.gov.uk/index/hss/gp_contracts/gp_contract_qof.htm
2. QOF is a system that was introduced on 1st April 2004 as a fundamental part of the new General Medical Services (GMS) contract. It is designed to remunerate general practices for providing good quality care to their patients, and to help fund work to further improve the quality of health care delivered. The QOF is a voluntary part of the new contract. The QOF measures achievement against a range of evidence-based indicators, with points and payments awarded according to the level of achievement. The framework was revised for 2006/07 with the addition of new clinical domains and revision of some existing indicators, standards and points. The framework has four main components:
- Clinical Standards
- Organisational Standards
- Patient Experience
- Additional Services
3. Despite being a voluntary arrangement, all practices in Northern Ireland participated in the QOF during 2004/05, 2005/06 and 2006/07.
4. Even with the changes introduced to QOF in 2006/07, general practices achieved 97.8% of the maximum points available. This compares to 97.9% achievement in 2005/06 and 94.2% in 2004/05. In the clinical domain, across all practices, 98.1% of points were achieved, compared to 98.6% in 2005/06 and 95.4% in 2004/05. In the non-clinical domains, 97.2% of points were achieved in 2006/07, compared to 96.7% in 2005/06 and 92.8% in 2004/05.
5. Across all general practices, the percentages of maximum points achieved in the 19 clinical areas in 2006/07 were as follows:
- Asthma: 97.8%
- Cancer: 98.01%
- Coronary Heart Disease (CHD): 99.5%
- Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD): 98.3%
- Diabetes: 98.8%
- Epilepsy: 94.4%
- Hypertension (high blood pressure): 99.5%
- Hypothyroidism: 99.8%
- Mental Health: 94.6%
- Stroke & Transient Ischaemic Attack: 99.2%
- Atrial Fibrillation (abnormal heart rhythm): 99.4%
- Chronic Kidney Disease: 99.2%
- Dementia: 99.4%
- Depression: 88.1%
- Heart Failure: 98.9%
- Learning Disability: 100%
- Obesity: 100%
- Palliative Care: 95.3%
- Smoking (status recorded for specific conditions): 99.4%
6. Across all general practices, the percentages of maximum points achieved in the 3 non-clinical areas in 2006/07 were as follows:
- Organisational Indicators: 95.7%
- Patient Experience: 99.5%
- Additional Services: 97.9%
7. Payments associated with the QOF accounted for £43.1million of a total £218million invested in general practices in Northern Ireland in 2006/07.
8. Media queries to DHSSPS Press Office on 02890 520571, out of hours contact the Duty Press Officer via pager number on 076 9971 5440 and your call will be returned.
