Health and Education

Part of Orders of the Day – in the House of Commons at 6:01 pm on 13 November 2007.

Alert me about debates like this

Photo of Norman Lamb Norman Lamb Shadow Secretary of State for Health, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson (Health) 6:01, 13 November 2007

I shall not give way now, although I shall in a moment. Let me finish my point about the GP contract. The quality and outcomes framework—the method of incentivising GPs through further payments—also works to the disadvantage of practices working in deprived communities. The NHS Confederation confirmed that under QOF, rates of achievement in deprived communities are lower than those of wealthier suburbs, so practices in the former end up getting paid less.

Under QOF, GPs get paid more working in a wealthy suburb than if they work in a deprived community. Remarkably, QOF remunerates at a lower rate practices with a higher disease prevalence. The NHS Confederation gives an example of that. Dr. Stoate looks bemused, but he should read the confederation's report on health inequalities.