More than a bit! Sounds like indoctrination with govt propaganda. QoF was the vehicle chosen for additional investment in GP services and to uplift GP pay. There are multiple items of work that make up the income of any practice, some of which are undertaken by employed staff. QoF is no different. That total income provides the pool from which staff are paid, other running costs met and, finally, partners take their income, not the other way round. Many practices have expanded their staffing and/or improved T&C/pay for staff since the additional investment came in. In the last 3 years most practices have continued to meet pay increases for staff despite the freeze or cut in total income. Don't hear many complaints about staff not taking a share in the freeze/cut.
As for the original question, yes there have been potential improvements in care incentivised by QoF but since the main outcomes of these changes relate to primary or secondary prevention of multifactorial conditions, the evidence of effect a) would only be seen in the longer term and b) will be difficult to directly attribute to QoF incentivised change. The few exceptions that give more immediate outcomes are e.g. epilepsy control. I was surprised at how many colleagues initially expressed surprise at the idea of seeking fit-free control in more patients but there is greater recognition of this as needing to be the primary objective for all patients, albeit that some will still not achieve it.
----- Original Message ----
> From: Mary Hawking <[log in to unmask]>
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Sent: Friday, 20 March, 2009 8:25:32 PM
> Subject: Re: QoF
>
> Saul, I think you are being a bit hard on GPs.
> My recollection is that the government wanted to introduce Performance
> Related Pay into General Practice - and insisted that new money would go
> into this element of practice finance.
> When measurable targets are set in any sector, effort will be
> concentrated on meeting them: they are, after all, a definition of what
> our employers want us (all NHS organisations including Stafford) to
> deliver.
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