The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 271 No 7258 p73
19 July 2003

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Commission for Health Improvement (www.ratings.chi.nhs.uk)

CHI gives three-star top mark to 45 PCTs

The Commission for Health Improvement has given 45 of the 304 primary care trusts in England the top three-star performance rating for 2002–03.

The PCTs were assessed against a limited number of key targets, and a larger number and range of indicators. The Government sets priorities for the National Health Service and these have been used by CHI to draw up the indicators. Performance against these is used by CHI to place trusts in categories with either one, two, three or no stars.

Several of the indicators relate to prescribing — use of atypical antipsychotics, antibacterial drugs, benzodiazepines and overall generic prescribing are all measured. CHI says that atypical antipsychotic use is expected to be high and rising, prescribing of antibacterials and benzodiazipines should be low taking into account local population demographics, and generic prescribing of around 80 per cent or more is considered above average.

This is the first year that CHI has been responsible for producing the star ratings and the first year that they have been given to PCTs and mental health trusts. In the acute hospitals sector, 53 trusts out of 156 received three stars, eight more than the previous year. However, four trusts dropped from three to two stars and could miss out on foundation hospital status. At the other end of the scale, 14 acute trusts and 22 PCTs were given no stars.

Full details of the ratings and the indicators used can be found on the CHI website (www.ratings.chi.nhs.uk).