Quality and outcomes framework guidance
Section 3: Organisational Indicators
1. Format
Organisational indicators are split into five domains:
- Records and information about patients (A)
- Information for patients (B)
- Education and training (C)
- Practice management (D)
- Medicines management (E).
For each indicator (x) four descriptions are given:
X.1 Practice guidelines
This section contains a number of things, dependent on the indicator, including:
- justification for the indicator
- a more detailed description of the indicator
- references which practices may find useful
- some helpful guidance on how practices may go about meeting the requirements of the indicator.
This specifies the written evidence which a practice would be expected to produce for an assessment visit. The evidence generally should be available in the practice and need not be submitted in advance. However, some written evidence will be required in advance and this is indicated in the document. In some instances no written evidence will be required but may be requested if there is an appeal.
In summary, written evidence is categorised as follows:
Grade A – to be submitted in advance of a visit
Grade B – to be available in the practice at the visit
Grade C – optional or used in the event of an appeal.
X.3 Assessment visit
This section describes how a visiting assessment team will verify the written evidence.
X.4 Assessors’ guidance
This section contains more detailed guidance for assessors to use during practice assessment visits. This guidance has been produced to ensure that practices are being judged to the same standard across the UK.
2. Equivalence – other schemes
It is recognised that a number of schemes are currently in place across the UK to encourage practice development. Other practice-based accreditation schemes may apply to the National Reference Group to be recommended as equivalent to appropriate aspects of the organisational indicators of the Quality and Outcomes Framework.
These schemes must involve the practice in meeting indicators considered by the Reference Group to be equivalent to a relevant indicator in the Framework. Any scheme which is to be considered must include as part of its process a visit to the practice.
The RCGP Quality Practice Award has been approved for all Organisational Indicators in the Framework. Version 7 of QPA to be published in April 2003 will be modified to meet the requirements of the Framework if the profession votes positively for the new contract.