The number of QOF points that will be income protected has more than doubled compared with last year, under the GP contract for 2024/25.
A total of 212 will be protected, rising from 81 last year, the GMS Medical Services Statement of Financial Entitlements Directions 2024 released today, has shown.
The value of a QOF point also increases to £220.62 from £213.43 and the national average practice population figure is 9,964.
As in previous years the number of QOF points available remains at 635, which means 423 points remain ‘conditional’ on practice performance.
The GP contract directions set out changes to several indicators.
Although the overall total of points achieved in each remains the same, the split between income protected points and those that are conditional has been updated.
For two clinical indicators – depression and cancer – all points are now protected. The Quality Improvement domain has also become entirely income protected (see also table below).
It was announced by NHS England last month that for 2024/25, QOF would be streamlined to ‘reduce bureaucracy’ for practices, with 32 of the 76 indicators suspended and income protected from 1 April. This means 42% of QOF indicators will no longer be live.
As had already been expected too, QOF aspiration payments – funding given in advance of achievement – will be increased from 70% to 80% to ‘support practice cash flow’.
Indicators seeing changes to how points are allocated are:
Indicator/Domain Total conditional points available (number in brackets is 2023/24) Total income protected points available (number in brackets is 2023/24 ) Total Achievement points Asthma 35 (41) 10 (4) 45 COPD 9 (11) 10 (8) 19 Depression 0 (10) 10 (0) 10 Mental Health 28 (34) 10 (4) 38 Cancer 0 (8) 13 (5) 13 Smoking 37 (62) 25 (0) 62 Quality Improvement domain 0 (74) 74 (0) 74
A version of this article was first published by Pulse’s sister title Management in Practice
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