New GP targets for rheumatoid arthritis, cholesterol and cancer could find their way onto the 2013-14 Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF), subject to the now-launched NICE consultation.
A possible 20 new indicators are being proposed by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) across ten domains.
They include two proposed indicators on diabetes, in which GPs will be asked to offer advice to male patients who have a record of erectile dysfunction. There are also five potential indicators to improve care for people with rheumatoid arthritis, and a set of “tightly linked” measures on cholesterol.
The NICE OQF Advisory Committee will review the feedback received from the four-week long consultation – which opened today (Monday 9 January) – and its UK-wide pilot results in June 2012.
It will then recommend which indicators should be approved for publication by NICE in its annual “menu” of indicators.
“This consultation on potential new indicators is an integral part of NICE’s process for QOF,” said Dr Fergus Macbeth, Director of the Centre for Clinical Practice at NICE.
“Any feedback will help the QOF Advisory Committee decide which indicators will be put forward for publication on the NICE menu for the QOF.”
The final 2013/2014 QOF menu of indicators will be published by NICE in August 2012.
NICE 2013/14 QOF consultation doc
Your comments (terms and conditions apply):
“NICE have got the figures for the progress of rhumatoid and cancer. Also cholesterol. This will give the people who suffer from the ailments to get the treatment for their pain sooner rather than later” – Laura Ruddy, Eastbourne
