Annual Quality Outcomes Framework (QOF) report for England published

24 Oct 2019 02:48 PM

Figures showing the recorded prevalence of 21 conditions1, including asthma, hypertension, dementia, diabetes, and depression are published today by NHS Digital.

The annual publication, Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) – Prevalence, Achievements and Exceptions Report, England 2018-19 also identifies how the recorded 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 95.1 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 provide2.

Conditions are grouped into categories. These are:

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.

Read the full report

Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) – Prevalence, Achievements and Exceptions Report, England 2018-19

Notes to editors

  1. There are 25 conditions and measures in total; the report has information on the prevalence of 21 of these. These 25 conditions and measures have been selected for the following reasons: where responsibility for ongoing management of the condition rests principally with the GP and the primary care team; where there is good evidence of the health benefits likely to result from improved primary care; and where the disease area is a priority.
  2. QOF payments to general practices are calculated from the achievement scores allocated to each indicator. The QOF rewards practices for the provision of 'quality care' and helps to fund further improvements in the delivery of clinical care. This year, the value of a QOF point was £179.26. This figure is subject to adjustment to account for factors specific to each surgery e.g. population demographics.
  3. The cardiovascular group contains information on:
    1. Atrial fibrillation
    2. Blood pressure
    3. Cardiovascular disease
    4. Coronary heart disease
    5. Heart failure
    6. Hypertension
    7. Peripheral arterial disease
    8. Stroke and transient ischaemic attack
  4. The respiratory group contains information on:
    1. Asthma
    2. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
  5. The lifestyle group contains information on:
    1. Obesity
    2. Smoking
  6. The high dependency and other long term conditions group contains information on:
    1. Cancer
    2. Chronic kidney disease
    3. Diabetes mellitus
    4. Palliative care
  7. The mental health and neurology group contains information on:
    1. Dementia
    2. Depression
    3. Epilepsy
    4. Learning disabilities
    5. Mental health
  8. The musculoskeletal group contains information on:
    1. Osteoporosis
    2. Rheumatoid arthritis
  9. The fertility, obstetrics and gynaecology group contains information on:
    1. Cervical screening
    2. Contraception

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