ABSTRACT
One of the most radical, far-reaching and, at times, controversial has been the Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) introduced as part of the new general medical services contract in 2004. The QOF therefore provides benefits for patients in terms of health outcomes, for general practitioners in terms of financial rewards for the work they undertake and for primary care trusts (PCTs) in terms of measurable improvement in the quality of care provided to their population. There is a certain amount of flexibility built into the inspection process and PCTs vary a great deal in the method, style and frequency of the assessments undertaken. Some PCTs do very few visits, relying mainly on the information available through the Quality Management and Analysis System and other computer-based tools together with prescribing data and the evidence required to support indicators relating to the organisational domain.
