The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 269 No 7228 p839
14 December 2002

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CHI will examine trusts' performance on prescribing

Prescribing of generic drugs and antibiotics are two of the provisional indicators being considered by the Commission for Health Improvement as measures of primary care trust performance.

CHI reviews of PCTs will begin next year and the provisional list of performance indicators, published this week, will be used to rate how well these organisations are meeting the Government's agenda, national service framework (NSF) targets, and guidance from the National Institute for Clinical Excellence.

Specific indicators covering prescribing include the number of generic prescription items as a percentage of all prescription drugs and changes in the rate of antibacterial prescribing in line with Government policy. Also proposed are increased anti- dementia drug prescribing in line with recommended good practice, decreased benzodiazepine prescribing (which should be kept to a minimum and prescribed for a limited period for any individual), and increased prescribing of atypical antipsychotics in line with the mental health NSF and NICE guidance.

The list covers many aspects of primary care, including access to general practitioners, drug misusers' access to treatment, coronary heart disease audit, breast cancer screening and the number of smokers quitting through smoking cessation services at four-week follow up.

Peter Homa, chief executive of CHI, said indicators were designed to reflect ministers' priorities for the National Health Service.

"We also aim to strengthen their validity over time as an authentic reflection of the quality of patient care," he added.

The provisional performance indicator list can be viewed on the Department of Health website. Comments are welcomed and should be submitted by Friday 10 January 2003, which can be done via the website.