Table 2 Definitions of GP practice performance indicators used in this study

Patient reported indicators

Access

Generally, how easy is it to get through to someone at your GP practice on the phone? [Q1]

% of patients who find it easy to get through to someone at the GP practice on the phone (Q1)

Continuity of care

How often do you see or speak to your preferred GP when you would like to? [Q8]

% of patients who see or speak to their preferred GP always, almost always or a lot of the time (Q8)

Confidence and trust

During your last general practice appointment, did you have confidence and trust in the healthcare professional you saw or spoke to? [Q30]

% of patients who have confidence and trust in the health care professional they see (Q30)

Patient experience

Overall, how would you describe your experience of making an appointment? [Q21]

% of patients who have good experience of making an appointment (Q21)

Overall, how would you describe your experience of your GP practice? [Q32]

% of patients who have a good overall GP practice experience (Q32)

Satisfaction

How satisfied are you with the general practice appointment times that are available to you? [Q6]

% of patients who are satisfied with general practice appointment times available to them (Q6)

Were you satisfied with the type of appointment (or appointments) you were offered? [Q16]

% of patients who were satisfied with the type of appointment(s) they were offered (Q16)

QOF indicators (Clinical and Public Health)

Blood pressure control

Merger (HYP003 & HYP007)

HYP003 _ The percentage of patients aged 79 years or under with hypertension in whom the last blood pressure reading (measured in the preceding 12 months) is 140/90 mmHg or less

HYP007 _ The percentage of patients aged 80 years or over with hypertension in whom the last blood pressure reading (measured in the preceding 12 months) is 150/90 mmHg or less

Diabetes mellitus control (HbA1C)

Merger (DM020 & DM021)

DM020 _ The percentage of patients with diabetes, on the register, without moderate or severe frailty in whom the last IFCC-HbA1c is 58 mmol/mol or less in the preceding 12 months

DM021 _ The percentage of patients with diabetes, on the register, without moderate or severe frailty in whom the last IFCC-HbA1c is 75 mmol/mol or less in the preceding 12 months

Asthma reviews

AST007

The percentage of patients with asthma, on the register, who have had an asthma review in the preceding 12 months that includes an assessment of asthma control using a validated asthma control questionnaire, a recording of the number of exacerbations, an assessment of inhaler technique and a written personalised asthma plan

COPD reviews

COPD010

The percentage of patients with COPD, on the register, who have had a review in the preceding 12 months which included a record of the number of exacerbations and an assessment of breathlessness using the Medical Research Council dyspnoea scale

Depression reviews

DEP003

The percentage of patients aged 18 or over with a new diagnosis of depression in the preceding 1 April to 31 March who have been reviewed not earlier than 10 days after and not later than 56 days after the date of diagnosis

Cervical cancer screening

Merger (CS005 & CS006)

CS005 _ The percentage of women eligible for screening and aged 25–49 years at the end of the reporting period whose notes record that an adequate cervical screening test has been performed in the preceding 3 years and 6 months

CS006 _ The percentage of women eligible for screening and aged 50–64 years at the end of the reporting period whose notes record that an adequate cervical screening test has been performed in the preceding 5 years and 6 months

Immunisation rate

Merger (VI001, VI002, VI003 & VI004)

VI001 _ The percentage of babies who reached 8 months old in the preceding 12 months, who have received at least 3 doses of a diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis containing vaccine before the age of 8 months

VI002 _ The percentage of children who reached 18 months old in the preceding 12 months, who have received at least 1 dose of MMR between the ages of 12 and 18 months.

VI003 _ The percentage of children who reached 5 years old in the preceding 12 months, who have received a reinforcing dose of DTaP/IPV and at least 2 doses of MMR between the ages of 1 and 5 years

VI004 _ The percentage of patients who reached 80 years old in the preceding 12 months, who have received a shingles vaccine between the ages of 70 and 79 years

Non-QOF clinical indicators

Antibiotic prescription rate (crude measure)

Merger of data for Q1, Q2 & Q3 of the year 2022

Total number of antibiotic items prescribed in primary care in a general practice per 1000 registered patients per quarter. A lower value is associated with fewer items of antibiotics being prescribed, a proxy indicator of good antimicrobial stewardship.

Cancer detection rate (via two-week wait referral route)^‡

2021/2022 data

(1 year)

% of all cancer cases treated in a year resulting from a Two-Week-Wait referral (calculated by dividing the number of new cancer cases treated in a year who were diagnosed via the Two Week Wait referral route by the total number of patients registered at the practice who have a date of first treatment in the financial year on the Cancer Waiting Times system).

Cancer emergency presentation^†

2021/2022 data

(1 year)

The crude rate of persons diagnosed with cancer via an emergency route (hospital A&E) divided by the number of persons in the practice list, expressed as a rate per 100,000 persons