Quality and Outcomes Framework - 2008-09

You can also browse the QOF online database to find results for your local surgery. The national Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) was introduced as part of the new General Medical Services (GMS) contract on 1 April 2004. The objective of the QOF is to improve the quality of care patients are given by rewarding practices for the quality of care they provide to their patients. Although participation by practices in the QOF is voluntary, participation rates are very high, with most Personal Medical Services (PMS) practices also taking part.

Information in this bulletin was derived from the Quality Management Analysis System (QMAS), a national system developed by NHS Connecting for Health. QMAS uses data from general practices to calculate individual practices' QOF achievement. The QOF contains four main components, known as domains. The four domains are:

• Clinical Domain
• Organisational Domain
• Patient Experience Domain
• Additional Services Domain Each domain consists of a set of achievement measures, indicators, against which practices score points according to their level of achievement. The 2008/09 QOF measured achievement against 129 indicators, and practices scored points on the basis of achievement against each indicator, up to a maximum of 1,000 points.

• The QOF has undergone some revisions since it was first introduced. Some changes were made at the start of 2008/09, with the most significant change being the introduction of two new indicators within the Patient Experience domain.