Publication of GP Quality Achievements 2008/09
Wednesday, 30 September 2009Health Minister, Michael McGimpsey welcomed the publication today of the latest Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) achievement figures by GP practices in Northern Ireland.
The new figures show sustained high achievement for the provision of quality care to patients and directly reflect his determination to drive forward improvements in patient health care in Northern Ireland.
Under QOF, GP Practices are rewarded for outcomes they achieve with their patients. The practices’ doctors, nurses and staff work as a team to provide high quality care to their patients, for example in the management of chronic disease.
The Minister said: “I welcome that patients in Northern Ireland have again, this year, benefited enormously from their GP practices continuing to deliver high quality care, through the Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF).
“GP practices and their staff are to be congratulated for their commitment to the provision of high quality care for their patients.
“Practices receive additional income for achieving excellent results in the delivery of quality patient care. Patients have benefited directly from this investment in primary care and they can look forward to continued improvements in their quality of life.”
Notes to editors:
1. The information is published by the Department of Health, Social Services & Public Safety (NI), and is available online.
2. QOF is a system that was introduced on 1 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 has four main components:
- Clinical Standards
- Organisational Standards
- Patient Experience
- Additional Services
The framework was revised for 2006/07 with the addition of new clinical domains and revision of some existing indicators, standards and points. Further revisions were made for 2008/09. 58.5 QOF points (38.5 from the holistic, clinical and organisation domains, plus 20 points from the patient experience domain) were reallocated to reward patient satisfaction with Access, through new QOF indicators in the patient experience domain, PE7 and PE8. There were also a small number of evidence based changes introduced to other QOF indicators as recommended by the expert panel.
3. Despite being a voluntary arrangement, all practices in Northern Ireland have participated in the QOF since its introduction in April 2004.
4. Comparison of achievement across the five years of QOF.
Overall achievement: 2008/09 97.3%
2007/08 98.7%
2006/07 97.8%
2005/06 97.9%
2004/05 94.2%
Achievement in clinical domain: 2008/09 99.1%
2007/08 98.9%
2006/07 98.1%
2005/06 98.6%
2004/05 95.4%
Achievement in non-clinical domain: 2008/09 94.0%
2007/08 98.3%
2006/07 97.2%
2005/06 96.7%
2004/05 92.8%
5. Across all general practices, the percentages of available points achieved in the 19 clinical areas in 2008/09 were as follows:
- Asthma: 99.2%
- Cancer: 98.7%
- Coronary Heart Disease (CHD): 99.7%
- Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD): 99.1%
- Diabetes: 99.2%
- Epilepsy: 96.4%
- Hypertension (high blood pressure): 99.8%
- Hypothyroidism: 99.9%
- Mental Health: 97.3%
- Stroke & Transient Ischaemic Attack: 99.5%
- Atrial Fibrillation (abnormal heart rhythm): 99.5%
- Chronic Kidney Disease: 98.5%
- Dementia: 99.8%
- Depression: 96.9%
- Heart Failure: 99.5%
- Learning Disability: 100%
- Obesity: 100%
- Palliative Care: 96.8%
- Smoking (status recorded for specific conditions): 99.6%
Across all general practices, the percentages of available points achieved in the 3 non-clinical areas in 2008/09 were as follows:
- Organisational Indicators: 98.3%
- Patient Experience: 87.8%
- Additional Services: 99.0%
6. Payments associated with the QOF accounted for £43.3million of a total £234.9million invested in general practices in Northern Ireland in 2008/09.
7. For statistical or data queries, please contact Information & Analysis Directorate on 02890 522700.
8. For policy queries, please contact General Medical Services Branch, Primary Care Directorate on 02890 520240.
9. Media queries to DHSSPS Press Office on 02890 520074, or out of office hours contact the Duty Press Officer via pager number 076 9971 5440 and your call will be returned.
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