General Practice - Quality & Outcomes Framework

These pages were last updated and expanded on 30th June 2009 to include information on 2008/09 national prevalence estimates. The next update, which will include detaitled achievement, prevalence and exception reporting data, is due on the 29th September 2009.

Introduction

The Quality & Outcomes Framework (QOF) represents one of the main sources of potential income for general practices across the UK. It rewards practices for providing good quality care to their patients and can help to fund work to support further improvements to the quality of health care delivered. It is a fundamental part of the new General Medical Services (GMS) contract, introduced on 1st April 2004. Participation by general practices in the QOF is voluntary. For those that do participate, the QOF measures achievement against a range of evidence-based indicators, with points and payments awarded according to the level of achievement.

Published here are Scotland's QOF data in detail for 2004/05-2007/08 as well as national prevalence estimates for 2008/09. For further information relating to general practice in Scotland, go to ISD's General Practice pages.

Background

What is the QOF?
Primary medical services, the new GMS contract, and QOF
Summary of QOF points and pounds available 2004/05 - 2007/08
Clinical domain points available 2004/05 - 2007/08
Prevalence data in the QOF
Key stages in the annual QOF process
Revisions to the QOF

QOF Data for Scotland

2008/09 - National Prevalence Estimates

Commentary on national prevalence

2007/08 - Achievement, prevalence & exception reporting data	2006/07 - Achievement, prevalence & exception reporting data

Data at Scotland and NHS Board level	Data at Scotland and NHS Board level
Data at Community Health Partnership (CHP) level	Data at Community Health Partnership (CHP) level
Data at practice level - summaries	Data at practice level - summaries
Data at practice level - individual indicators	Data at practice level - individual indicators
Information on exception reporting in clinical indicators	Information on exception reporting in clinical indicators

2005/06 - Achievement , prevalence & exception reporting data	2004/05 - Achievement and prevalence data

Data at Scotland and NHS Board level	Data at Scotland and NHS Board level
Data at Community Health Partnership (CHP) level	Data at Community Health Partnership (CHP) level
Data at practice level - summaries (incl. additional points)	Data at practice level - summaries (incl. additional points)
Data at practice level - individual indicators	Data at practice level - individual indicators
Information on exception reporting in clinical indicators

Links

Links to key QOF documentation

Further information on changes to the QOF and the GMS contract as a whole for 2006/07-2007/08 can be found:

In the guidance for Scotland (PCA2006(M)13) published by the Scottish Executive.
In the UK-wide document Revisions to the GMS contract 2006/07 , available via the Primary Care Contracting pages of the NHS Employers website
Within the General Medical Services Statement of Financial Entitlements for 2006 onwards published by the Scottish Executive.
Within the General Medical Services Statement of Financial Entitlements for 2007 published by the Scottish Government.

Further information on changes to the QOF and the GMS contract as a whole for 2008/09 can be found:

In the UK-wide document Changes to Quality and Outcomes Framework for 2008 , available via the Primary Care Contracting pages of the NHS Employers website
Within theGeneral Medical Services Statement of Financial Entitlements for 2008 published by the Scottish Government.

Other information on the Primary Medical Services (Scotland) Act 2004, the new GMS contract and the QOF (much relating to its original implementation) can be found within the Scottish Executive's Pay Modernisation link opens in a new window website. Links to individual documents are as follows: