QOF set for acute illness target

23 Feb 10

The QOF indicator advisory committee will consider new indicators for prescribing antibiotics for urinary tract infections and cough at its next meeting in June, with a view to potentially developing indicators for the 2012/13 negotiations.

Earlier this month NICE issued a call for new topic suggestions for the 2012/13 QOF, and the advisory committee will also consider topics that were received during an earlier call for suggestions.

This includes suggestions for antibiotic prescribing for UTI and cough, expected to be in line with NICE guidelines. The institute says GPs should avoid or give delayed antibiotics in patients with acute cough or bronchitis, while UTI guidance varies with the age of the patient.

Other indicators that have been progressed to a briefing paper include indicators for providing patients with diabetes with information about their condition, secondary prevention of fragility fractures in patients with osteoporosis, self management and personal asthma action plans, and several indicators in chronic kidney disease.

Dr Colin Hunter, chair of the QOF indicator advisory committee and a GP in Aberdeen, said the proposals had not yet been put forward to the committee, but that if they were they would be assessed against the agreed QOF criteria.