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Quality and Outcomes Framework, 2019-20
Official statistics- Publication Date:
- 20 Aug 2020
- Geographic Coverage:
- England
- Geographical Granularity:
- GP practices, Clinical Commissioning Groups, Sustainability and Transformation Partnerships, Regions, Country
- Date Range:
- 01 Apr 2019 to 31 Mar 2020
Main findings
Introduction to the QOF
The Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) was introduced as part of the General Medical Services (GMS) contract on 1 April 2004. The QOF is an incentive payment scheme (not a performance management tool) which aims to improve patient care by rewarding practices for the quality of care they provide. This quality is assessed using achievement against a range of indicators across a number of key areas in clinical care and public health. A key principle of the QOF is that indicators should be based on the best available research evidence.
In QOF 2019-20, achievement was assessed for 68 indicators in the following groups (age groups specified where applicable):
- Asthma
- Atrial fibrillation
- Blood pressure
- Cancer
- Cardiovascular disease - primary prevention (30-74)
- Cervical screening (25-64)
- Chronic kidney disease (18+)
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
- Dementia
- Depression (18+)
- Diabetes mellitus (17+)
- End of life care
- Epilepsy (18+)
- Heart failure
- Hypertension
- Learning disabilities
- Mental health
- Obesity (18+)
- Osteoporosis (50+)
- Palliative care
- Peripheral arterial disease
- Prescribing safety
- Rheumatoid arthritis (16+)
- Secondary prevention of coronary heart disease
- Smoking
- Stroke and transient ischaemic attack
The QOF recorded prevalence of depression exhibits the greatest range by region, with the lowest rate in London (8.2%) and the highest rate in the North West (14.0 %).
Note: prevalence rates for 2018-19 have been recalculated using only those practices for which data are available for both reporting years.
The average total achievement score for GP practices in 2019-20 was 533.9, compared with 539.2 in 2018-19 (out of a maximum of 559 available points).
The proportion of practices achieving the maximum score of 559 points decreased to 7.3% in 2019-20, from 13.0% in 2018-19.