Press Release

Continuous Improvement of the Out of Hours Benchmark:
Ensuring compliance with the Care Quality Commission interim findings from their enquiry into GP out of hours services.

The Primary Care Foundation notes the interim findings of the Care Quality Commission enquiry which highlights the importance of systematic and consistent monitoring of performance across out of hours services across England.

The current out of hours benchmark covers a wide range of performance indicators with data drawn from provider systems to ensure detailed comparison. The benchmark already addresses many of the areas highlighted by the Care Quality Commission. However, in the light of this latest report, we will be developing the benchmark to cover some areas in greater detail such as:

- the number of unfilled shifts
- the proportion of shifts covered by non-local doctors
- the induction and training those doctors receive
- policy and procedures around acute and life-threatening conditions
- management of medicines

The detail of how to monitor these areas will be developed in time for the next round of the benchmark with our user group, made up of managers and clinicians from across PCTs and out of hours providers who are involved with the benchmark.

For further information, please contact Henry Clay, Director, Primary Care Foundation, on 07775 696360. henry.clay@primarycarefoundation.co.uk
Notes:

1. The Primary Care Foundation is an independent organisation committed to developing and spreading best practice in urgent and primary care in the UK.

2. The Department of Health commissioned the Primary Care Foundation to develop the out of hours benchmark, after a competitive tender, and it has now grown to the point where most of the PCTs across England have joined the benchmark.

3. The benchmark uses sample data from four weeks to compare performance against national standards and looks at the detail of how governance, for example of clinical decisions or drug usage, is carried out. In addition, cost is compared and a range of indicators are reported such as of the proportion of patients that visit hospital.

4. The first round was completed earlier this year, with reports sent to each PCT and provider service in March 2009. An example is available at http://www.primarycarefoundation.co.uk/page1/page21/page21.html

5. The second round is currently in progress with reports going to PCTs and Providers by the end of October 2009, comparing the performance of over 90 services across the Country. For the first time, this benchmark will include patient experience, based on a survey of recent service users in different out of hours settings, carried out as part of the benchmark by CFEP UK Surveys. Around 10,000 responses have already been received (over 33%) to a detailed questionnaire about the patients’ experiences that will provide valuable understanding of how each service is seen by its users.