Are you familiar with the diabetes QOF changes?

The National Diabetes Audit,¹ commissioned by Health Quality Improvement Partnership and managed by the NHS Information Centre, has been published and demonstrates that prevalence of diabetes, particularly type 2 diabetes, is rising each year. The report also highlights some areas where improvements in patient care are required. Results show that:

substantial regional variation in prevalence and treatment of complications is occurring
over 800,000 people diagnosed with diabetes have high-risk levels and are at risk of complications
high-risk blood sugar levels are more common in younger people and those who are socially deprived
fewer younger adults (≤54 years of age)—compared with other age groups—received all nine NICE-recommended basic care processes annually (which include blood pressure and blood sugar levels, and foot checks).

Excluding smoking, all of the basic care processes are included in the QOF indicators and a number of them have been changed in the recent 2011/12 update. Dr Paul Downie, GP and Clinical Assistant in Diabetes at Gloucestershire NHS Foundation Trust, summarises these changes in his article this month (see pp. 46–51). He discusses the evidence behind the change to the lowest HbA_1c QOF target, the new focus on foot care and risk stratification, and the changes to the QOF blood pressure targets for individuals with diabetes. Dr Downie also recommends future revisions to the diabetes indicators.G

Julia Morris, Editor
julia.morris@mgp.ltd.uk

References

The NHS Information Centre. National diabetes audit executive summary. London: The NHS Information Centre, 2011. www.ic.nhs.uk/nda

View the summary tables for the clinical QOF indicators 2011/2012 at: eguidelines.co.uk/qof_tables

Announcement
The Guidelines in Practice editorial team is delighted to announce the appointment of a new editorial board member, Dr Joe McGilligan. Dr McGilligan is a GP with an interest in commissioning and integrated healthcare, and Chair of ESyDoc, one of the Pathfinder Clinical Commissioning Groups; ESyDoc is a partnership of 20 practices in south east Surrey, which commissions health services for nearly 170,000 people. Dr McGilligan is also the Chair of the Surrey and Sussex NHS Trust Local Transformation Board and Co-Chair of the Health and Wellbeing Board for Surrey. With his experience both as a GP and as Chair of various health-related groups, Dr McGilligan will be an invaluable addition to the Guidelines in Practice editorial board. We would like to take this opportunity to thank all of the editorial board members for their continued help and support.

Announcement

The Guidelines in Practice editorial team is delighted to announce the appointment of a new editorial board member, Dr Joe McGilligan.

Dr McGilligan is a GP with an interest in commissioning and integrated healthcare, and Chair of ESyDoc, one of the Pathfinder Clinical Commissioning Groups; ESyDoc is a partnership of 20 practices in south east Surrey, which commissions health services for nearly 170,000 people. Dr McGilligan is also the Chair of the Surrey and Sussex NHS Trust Local Transformation Board and Co-Chair of the Health and Wellbeing Board for Surrey.

With his experience both as a GP and as Chair of various health-related groups, Dr McGilligan will be an invaluable addition to the Guidelines in Practice editorial board.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank all of the editorial board members for their continued help and support.

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