New GPC Guidance on QOF changes - 28 Mar 08

• Extract from : www.bma.org.uk

A new guidance note for GPs explaining the changes being made to the Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) of the nGMS contract is published today (28/03/08) by the BMA’s General Practitioners Committee. The QOF changes take effect from Tuesday 1 April 2008 until 31 March 2009.

Under the changes 58.5 QOF points will be reallocated to new QOF indicators in the patient experience domain to reward patient satisfaction with access. Of these 58.5 points, 38.5 come from the holistic, clinical and organisation domains and 20 points come from the existing patient experience domain.

QOF payment for the new points will be dependent on the results of access questions in a new patient experience survey on 48 hour access and advanced booking.

Dr Laurence Buckman, chairman of the GPC said: “There will also be a few evidence-based changes to the QOF such as improvements to the smoking indicator and a new COPD Indicator (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease ) to bring it in line with NICE guidance and taking account of spirometry readings.  All the evidence-based changes are detailed in the new GPC guidance note.”

The negotiating parties are working on the practical implementation of the QOF changes.

The new Focus ion guidance note can be found on the BMA website at: http://www.bma.org.uk/ap.nsf/Content/focusQOF0308

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