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Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF), enhanced services and core contract extraction specifications (business rules)
NHS Digital are responsible for producing and maintaining the extraction specification (business rules) for Quality and Outcome Framework (QOF), Enhanced Services (ES), Vaccinations and Immunisations V&I, certain elements of Core Contact (CC) and other services commissioned by the Department of Health.
Access the Primary Care Domain Reference Set Portal
The Reference Set Portal is an interactive tool which allows users to see which SNOMED codes are included in the current version of a reference set (refset)/cluster as used by the business rules.
Quality and Outcome Framework business rules
The QOF is a voluntary reward and incentive programme. It rewards GP practices, in England for the quality of care they provide to their patients and helps standardise improvements in the delivery of primary care. The results are published every year and can be found at:
Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) business rules v45 2020-2021 release
Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) business rules v44 2019-2020 October 2020 release
Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) business rules v42 2019-2020 baseline release
Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) business rules v 41 2018-2019 October code release
Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) business rules v39 2018 -2019 baseline
Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) business rules v38 2017 -2018 October code release
Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) business rules v37 2017 -2018 April code release
Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) business rules v36 2017- 2018 annual code release
Enhanced Services (ES), Vaccinations and Immunisations (V&I) and Core Contract (CC) components
NHS Digital have released the business rules for the enhanced services (ES), Vaccinations and immunisations (V&I) and Core Contract components (CC). This page will be updated as further ES, V&I and CC business rules become available.
Enhanced Services (ES), Vaccination and Immunisation (V&I) and GMS Core Contract components (CC) business rules 2020-21
Enhanced Services (ES), Vaccination and Immunisation (V&I) and GMS Core Contract components (CC) business rules 2019-2020
Enhanced Services (ES), Vaccination and Immunisation (V&I) and GMS Core Contract components (CC) business rules 2018 -2019
Enhanced Services (ES), Vaccination and Immunisation (V&I) and GMS Core Contract components (CC) business rules 2017 -2018
Enhanced Services (ES), Vaccination and Immunisation (V&I) and GMS Core Contract components (CC) business rules 2016- 2017
Indicators no longer in QOF business rules
As part of the contractual agreement it was agreed to continue collecting information relating to indicators no longer in QOF (INLIQ). Indicators retired since 2014-2015 will continue to be collected under this extraction. The reporting is essential, as the Department of Health and Social Care, Public Health England and other healthcare groups have indicated that the information linked to these indicators is essential for their work and wider healthcare programmes.
Indicators no longer in QOF (INLIQ) business rules V43 2019-2020
Indicators no longer in QOF (INLIQ) business rules V41 2018-2019
Indicators no longer in QOF (INLIQ) business rules V37 2017-2018
Indicators no longer in QOF (INLIQ) business rules V35 2016-17 (april code release)
Other extracts
Emergency COVID-19 data collections
GPES data for pandemic planning and research (COVID-19) - May and July 2020 business rules and expanded cluster list
This fortnightly patient level data collection is to respond to the intense demand for General Practice data to be shared in support of vital pandemic planning and research for COVID-19 purposes.
July 2020 business rules and expanded cluster list
May 2020 business rules and expanded cluster list
The most up to date information about code and clusters is available.
Coronavirus (COVID-19): At risk patients - September 2020 business rules and expanded cluster list
This weekly patient level data collection is an update to the Coronavirus (COVID-19): Shielded patients list extract and incorporates additional clusters covering potentially clinically vulnerable groups including clusters from the updated Seasonal Flu business rules.
September 2020 business rules and expanded cluster list
Coronavirus (COVID-19): Shielded patients list - April 2020 business rules and expanded cluster list
This weekly patient level data collection is being used to help inform the shielded patient list as part of the national COVID-19 response.
April 2020 business rules and expanded cluster list
Coronavirus (COVID-19): Shielded patients list - March 2020 business rules and expanded cluster list
This first patient level data collection is based on the seasonal flu enhanced service business rules and was used to help inform the national COVID-19 response.
March 2020 business rules and expanded cluster list
Cardiovascular Disease Prevention Audit (CVDPREVENT)
CVDPREVENT is a national primary care audit that will look at GP data covering diagnosis and management of six high risk conditions that cause stroke, heart attack and dementia: atrial fibrillation (AF), high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, non-diabetic hyperglycaemia and chronic kidney disease.
More Information on the CVDPREVENT audit
To access the business rules CVDPREVENT
General practice to diabetic retinopathy screening (GP2DRS) system - diabetic eye screening programme
Evidence shows that early identification and treatment of diabetic eye disease could reduce sight loss. The main treatment for diabetic retinopathy is laser surgery. This service looks to identify those at risk of developing diabetic retinopathy.
More information on the GP2DRS system (business rules to be published when available)
Individual GP level data
The Government's mandate to NHS England includes a task of working with NHS Digital and The Department of Health (DH) to provide GPs and general practices with information on the care provision for their patients.
More information on individual GP level data (business rules to be published when available)
Learning Disabilities Data (LDD)
The LDD aims to:
- make information about the health and healthcare for people with learning disabilities more readily available and understandable
- undertake detailed secondary analyses of existing datasets to identify important new lessons for service improvement and development
- share the learning by working to ensure that key messages about best practice in providing healthcare for people with learning disabilities are widely understood
- improve available information by surveying data gaps and working to fill them.
More information on the LDD and access to the business rules
NHS Health Checks
NHS Digital, acting on behalf of Public Health England (PHE), will be collecting information about the numbers of people who are invited to an NHS Health Check and either attend or do not attend.
More information on NHS Health Checks and access to the business rules.
Physical health checks for people with severe mental illness (PHSMI)
PHSMI data extract collects information detailed on GP records for patients with severe mental illness and not recorded as ‘in remission’.
This collection helps to ensure that people with severe mental illness have their physical health needs met by monitoring the delivery of comprehensive physical health check, collects information on relevant follow-up interventions and to understand their physical health outcomes.
More information on Physical health checks for people with severe mental illness
Related pages
Guidance for all Quality Services can be found on the NHS Employers website:
NHS Employers Vaccination and immunisation
NHS Employers General Medical Services
NHS Employers Vaccination and Immunisations 2017 -2018
NHS England GP contract
NHS Digital is also commissioned by the Department of Health and Social Care to provide extracts for other services. Further Information regarding these services can be found at GP collections service information.