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Scottish GPs achieve 98% of QOF targets for 2007/08

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30 September 2008

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Scotland’s GPs achieved 98.2% of all targets set out in the Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) for 2007/08, according to figures published today (Tuesday 30 September 2008).

Total funding associated with QOF in 2007/08 was approximately £131m, up from roughly £128.3m in 2006/07 (QOF funding is part of a total of around £700m invested annually in primary medical services across Scotland).

The results were described as “good news for patients” by Dr Dean Marshall, chairman of the BMA’s Scottish GPs Committee.

“I am proud that once again Scotland’s GPs and their staff have worked exceptionally hard to achieve these targets,” said Dr Marshall.

“This means that more patients are being diagnosed promptly and getting the treatment they need and it is making a real difference to patient outcomes, reducing hospital admissions and saving lives.”

He added: “Because the QOF applies to every practice, patients across Scotland receive the same standards of treatment irrespective of where they live.”

Across all Scottish practices with GMS contracts, 98.8% of all available points were scored in the additional services domain, which includes indicators relating to cervical screening, child health surveillance, contraceptive services and maternity services.

Corresponding figures for the organisational domain (covering record keeping, education and training, practice management and medicines management) and the patient experience domain (relating to patient consultations and surveys carried out throughout the year) were 96.8%% and 98.4%, respectively.

Dr Marshall said: “I am pleased that patient satisfaction levels are once again high. It demonstrates that while politicians may not always appreciate and value the hard work and commitment of GPs, our patients do.”

“Our government should be proud of the achievements of general practice and the great strides they are making towards improving how the NHS manages the care of patients with chronic disease.”

BMA

Information Services Division Scotland