WIREDGOV

Figures released today by NHS Digital provide information on the prevalence of 21 conditions, including asthma, hypertension, dementia, diabetes, and depression.

The annual report, Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) - Prevalence, Achievements and Exceptions Report, England 2016-17 also identifies how the prevalence of these conditions has changed since the previous year.

Prevalence data on these conditions can be broken down sub-nationally to regional and general practice level.

This robust dataset is made up of information voluntarily provided by 95.4 per cent of general practices in England. It is collected through the QOF, which is primarily used to improve the care patients receive by rewarding practices for the quality of care they provide.

Conditions are grouped into categories known as indicator groups. These are:

• Cardiovascular
• Respiratory
• Lifestyle
• High dependency and other long term conditions
• Mental health and neurology
• Musculoskeletal
• Fertility, obstetrics and gynaecology

Prevalence of some conditions is measured as a proportion of the total number of people registered at a surgery, whereas others are age-specific.

QOF also provides information on the activity of GPs in relation to 25 measures overall - this is expressed as achievement.

Achievement scores are used to calculate what payment a general practice should receive according to the services it delivered.

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