Quality and Outcomes Framework - 2007-08

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. Participation by practices in the QOF is voluntary, though 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' The national QOF is an incentive payment scheme for practices that choose to participate, and is not a performance management tool. One of its key principles is that indicators should, where possible, be based on the best available research evidence.

The QOF was revised at the start of 2006/07. The changes included the addition of new clinical disease areas; revision of some indicators within the clinical and organisational domains; higher thresholds to obtain points; and changes to the points available for individual indicators. The revised QOF continued to measure achievement against a set of evidence-based indicators, but allowed a possible maximum score of 1,000 points. The reduction from the previous maximum of 1,050 points was due to the reallocation of resources associated with the 'access bonus' (previously 50 QOF points) to become part of an 'access directed enhanced service'.

The 2007/08 QOF measured achievement against 135 indicators and one measure of depth of care, known as holistic care. Practices scored points on the basis of achievement against each indicator, up to a maximum of 1,000 points.

Full details of the 2006 revision to the QOF are available from the NHS Employers' web site (see section 6 of this bulletin). The NHS Employers' web site also contains information on further revisions to the QOF from April 2008, which do not form part of this publication.