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Press release: NHS Employers and GPC announce details of development of QOF

24 Aug 2006

NHS Employers and the General Practitioners Committee (GPC) of the BMA today announce the process for the ongoing development of the Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) of the GP Contract.

Building on their role in the previous review, Birmingham University, in collaboration with the Royal College of General Practitioners and the Society of Academic Primary Care, has been appointed on a three-year contract to inform the ongoing review and development of the QOF.

Led by Professor Helen Lester, the expert panel members will continue their work of reviewing the evidence base for current indicators.  The expert panel will also consider new evidence-based elements for possible future inclusion in the framework as and when resources become available to support more indicators. At present, minimal change is expected for 2007/08.

There will be a new approach to gathering evidence and engaging stakeholders.  Professor Lester and other members of the panel will take oral evidence at a series of sessions to be held annually.  It is hoped that by introducing face-to-face meetings organisations will feel better able to express their views on the future development of the QOF and that through discussions with the expert panel they will also improve their understanding of the working of the framework and the evidence base required.  It will also enable the patient's view of aspects of primary care to be taken into account when considering possible indicators for future development.

Professor Lester and her team will report regularly to the QOF sub-group who in turn will report into the main GMS negotiation team.  Future development will depend on the strength of the evidence base and best practice, and the resources being made available to deliver it.

NHS Employers' joint-chair of the QOF review team, Dr Adrian Jacobs, said:
 
"The success of the QOF will be measured by its ability to continually evolve.  This new approach to its development will ensure that it reflects the most up-to-date and relevant practice.  We have learned from the review we conducted last year and have drawn on the elements that worked particularly well.  This time we want to hear directly from groups who have something to say to us about the development of the QOF."
 
GPC joint-chair of the QOF review team, Dr Laurence Buckman, said:

"QOF was never going to stand still.  We are always interested to learn where patients would like QOF to go next, if sufficient funding was to be made available and if evidence can be found that a general practice intervention is effective.  We look forward to developing the QOF with our colleagues over the next few years."

Professor Helen Lester, Professor of Primary Care Mental Health at the University of Birmingham and Expert Panel Lead said:

"We are delighted to be given a further opportunity to work with NHS Employers and GPC in developing QOF during the next three years. We plan to keep all existing indicators and areas under review to ensure that they reflect the evidence base and best practice. We also hope to develop a framework for the negotiators to assist them in the consideration of new areas, and to work with a broad range of academics and practitioners to ensure we have a good understanding of the impact and cost effectiveness of any potential new indicators. I am also particularly pleased that we now have an opportunity to ensure Patient and Public Involvement is central to the development process."
 

Notes for editors

Contact details

For further information please contact Emma Robinson in NHS Employers' press office on 020 7074 3307 or Linda Millington in the BMA's press office on 020 7383 6473.

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