New NHS outcomes strategy

The Government has announced its new plan to drive–up results and give patients more control over their healthcare, through the NHS Outcomes Framework 2012/13.
The strategy gives a new map of local health services which people will access through the ‘any qualified provider’ policy which starts from April 2012; and a new map of GP practices on the NHS Choices website.
To evaluate results, from now on, the NHS will be measured against a number of areas including whether a patient’s treatment was successful, whether they were looked–after well by NHS staff and recovered quickly after treatment.
In a step towards improving choice in the NHS, new opportunities are available to a range of qualified providers to offer services to patients.
From today [7 December], patients can view on a map which local services will be available to them via ‘any qualified provider’ from April 2012. From hearing services to wheelchair providers, patients across the country will have a choice of who looks after them in at least three areas of clinical care.
There is also more information for patients about GP practices on NHS Choices designed to make it easier for patients to identify the best GP practice for them.
Millions of people with long–term conditions like asthma, diabetes, depression and heart disease will now be able to see which surgeries have significant experience of treating patients like them. They will also be able to see the number of patients registered at a practice and their breakdown by age and gender as well as, for the first time, to what extent different GP practices offer patients choice of their first hospital appointment. It is designed to give patients choice, regardless of where they live, over their GP.
For further information about the NHS Outcomes Framework 2012/13 and interactive maps visit the Department of Health online at: www.dh.gov.uk.

http://www.wellbeingnorfolk.co.uk/2011/12/nhs-outcomes-strategy.html