Sources of data
Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF)
The Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) is a voluntary annual reward and incentive programme for all GP surgeries in England, detailing practice achievement results. It is not about performance management but resourcing and then rewarding good practice.
QOF data is useful, particularly for building evidence and understanding around the diagnosis and community parts of the patient pathway. QOF data is particularly valuable when compared to other indicators for COPD, such as admissions, or expected prevalence. Comparing the proportion of patients predicted to have COPD against actual reported COPD on QOF may highlight areas of unmet need, find missing populations, and suggest where to target support and future work.
Example of QoF data
QOF may be useful for COPD projects, as it provides annual information on the following indicators:
- The percentage of patients with COPD who have had influenza immunisation
- The percentage of patients with COPD with a record of FeV1 in the previous
- The percentage of all patients with COPD diagnosed in whom the diagnosis has been confirmed by post bronchodilator spirometry
- The percentage of patients with COPD who have had a review, undertaken by a healthcare professional, including an assessment of breathlessness using the MRC dyspnoea score in the preceding 15 months
It also collects figures on the reported prevalence of COPD.
It is important that sites using QOF review any exception reports, as it is possible for certain patients to be excluded (For example, a housebound patient may be excluded under certain circumstances).
More sources of data