NICE issues COF and QOF indicators

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence has published the first lot of 44 proposed indicators for inclusion in the Commissioning Outcomes Framework.

It has also published a set of new proposed indicators for the 2013-14 Quality and Outcomes Framework.

The COF indicators cover aspects of care given immediately after a stroke and following hospital discharge after treatment for stroke; chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; maternal care; and access to mental health services.

The indicators will now be considered by the NHS Commissioning Board for potential inclusion in the 2013-14 COF.

From April 2013, the framework will be used to measure the health outcomes and quality of care commissioned by clinical commissioning groups.

The indicators are identified and developed from three sources: the NHS Outcomes Framework, NICE quality standards, and from other existing indicator collections such as national audits.

Each indicator has been through public consultation and feasibility testing conducted by the Health and Social Care Information Centre.

COF advisory committee chair Professor Danny Keenan said there was a broad range of clinical expertise within the independent committee, including GPs, hospital doctors, patients and commissioners.

“This ensures that the menu of COF indicators recommended are workable, and can help improve the quality of commissioning to benefit patient care,” he said.

The selection of the final indicators for inclusion within the 2013-14 COF will be decided by NHS CB in autumn 2012.

The QOF menu has four new indicators on rheumatoid arthritis, two for men with diabetes, and others involving patients with heart failure and COPD being offered rehabilitation programmes.

They have been piloted across a range of practices with the support of the Health and Social Care Information Centre.

The selection of the final indicators for inclusion within QOF will be decided by NHS Employers, on behalf of the UK health departments, and the General Practitioners Committee of the British Medical Association.

Final QOF indicators will be published in winter 2012-13. NICE has also made recommendations on which existing QOF indicators should be retired or amended.