Northern Ireland Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) Information 2014/15

The Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety today published the achievement figures from the Northern Ireland Quality and Outcomes Framework 2014/15.

This is the 11th year of operation of the quality and outcomes framework (QOF), which is a system to remunerate general practices for providing good quality care to their patients, and to help fund work to further improve the quality of health care delivered. It is a fundamental part of the general medical services (GMS) contract, which was introduced on 1 April 2004.

The QOF measures achievement against a range of evidence-based indicators, with points and payments awarded according to the level of achievement. The framework has four main components:

• clinical Indicators
• public health indicators (including additional services)
• patient experience
• quality and productivity indicators

Key Points

• The average achievement in Northern Ireland was 642.1 of the 649 points available (98.9%). Achievement was consistently high throughout Northern Ireland, with the average achievement ranging from 98.6% in Southern local commissioning group (LCG) and Belfast LCG, to 99.3% in Northern LCG.
• Of the clinical registers collected for QOF that measure disease prevalence, prevalence was highest for hypertension (13.2%) and lowest for heart failure due to left ventricular dysfunction (0.2%).
• The average points achieved in the main domains were 465.1 points (99.0%) for clinical, 17.8 points (99.1%) for patient experience, 41.7 points (97.0%) for public health, 99.8 (99.8%) for quality and productivity and 17.6 points (97.7%) for additional services.
• Achievement in the rheumatoid arthritis clinical area (introduced in 2013/14) remains high at 99.5%. There were no new clinical areas introduced in 2014/15.

Notes to editors: 

1. The QOF data tables and reports are published by the Department of Health, Social Services & Public Safety (NI) via the Statistics Section of the website.
2. This is the tenth year of operation of the quality and outcomes framework (QOF). Results from previous years are available on the DHSSPS (NI) website.
3. Despite being a voluntary arrangement, all practices in Northern Ireland have participated in the QOF since its introduction in April 2004.
4. For statistical or data queries, please contact Project Support Analysis Branch
5. For policy queries, please contact General Medical Services Branch, Primary Care Directorate on 02890 589644.
6. Media queries to DHSSPS Press Office on 02890 520074, or out of office hours contact the Duty Press Officer via pager number 076 9971 5440 and your call will be returned. Follow us on Twitter @healthdpt

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