Quality Indicators

This page has been established to provide Fellows & Members with updates about the development of new quality indicators for emergency care.

Latest developments:

September 2011

Provisional Accident & Emergency Quality Indicators for England. Experimental Statistics by provider for April 2011 (01 Sept 2011) EXTERNAL LINK

August 2011

Presentation on the Quality Indicators from the Emergency Care Intensive Support Team (23^rd August 2011) - this is being used in presentations to Acute and Foundation Trusts, PCTs and commissioning groups. Please note this replaces the previous versions posted in May and March.

Delivering the five A&E clinical quality indicators in Foundation Trusts (23^rd August 2011) - An extract from Monitor's latest monthly bulletin to FTs.

Quality Indicators in Foundation Trusts (5^th August 2011) - An open letter from the College President following discussions with Monitor.

June 2011

Performance Management of NHS ED Services Using the Clinical Quality Indicators (23^rd June 2011) EXTERNAL LINK - Alan Hall, Director of Performance for NHS Finance, Performance & Operations, wrote to the NHS on 23 June 2011 with more detail on how the Department of Health will hold NHS trusts to account in 2011/12 in relation to the ED clinical quality indicators.

ED clinical quality indicators: best practice guidance for local publication (23^rd June 2011) EXTERNAL LINK - The DH has set out best practice guidance for the presentation and publication of the ED clinical quality indicators.

May 2011

The ED performance landscape (16^th May 2011)

Example - Calculating the 95th percentile (16^th May 2011)

Mar 2011

Quality Indicators - Frequently Asked Questions (30^th Mar 2011) EXTERNAL LINK

CEM guide to the clinical quality indicators for EDs (2^nd Mar 2011) - The College has published guidance on understanding and implementing the new quality indicators

Dec 2010

New ambulance and ED indicators (17^th Dec 2010) - have been published on the DH website: http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Healthcare/Urgentandemergencycare/DH_121239#_1

• Implementation Guidance for Emergency Departments

• Data Definitions

• CfH - SUS DQ Dashboards and KPI Reports
• CfH - SUS Best Practice Guide
• HES/SUS Data Quality and Operational Support

The Operating Framework for the NHS in England 2011/12 (16^th Dec 2010) - is available at: www.dh.gov.uk/operatingframework

Oct 2010

Update on indicators from the National Clinical Director (Oct 2010) - log-in required to view

July 2010

The College urges Fellows and Members to send us your opinions and views about the initial proposals (see below). Please e-mail the President, John Heyworth at cemqip@gmail.com by Friday 6th August 2010.

Quality Indicators for Emergency Care in England (July 2010) - A letter from the President to all Fellows and Members of the College about the CEM proposals for quality indicators. Please note you must be logged in to view/download.

Proposal for Emergency Care Quality & Outcomes Indicators (July 2010) - An outline of the initial proposals from Professor Matthew Cooke. Please note you must be logged in to view/download.

 

Background:

Abolition of the four hour waiting standard (July 2010) - below is the latest guidance from the DH to inform this period of transition:

• The Operating Framework has stated that the operational standard will be reduced to 95% with immediate effect and that monitoring of the median length of stay in ED should be undertaken: http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_110107
• The deed of variation was issued last Friday which amends the contract to reflect the 95% position and hence allows the PCT to adjust arrangements with acute Trusts in-year.  The documentation required is available at: http://www.dh.gov.uk/prod_consum_dh/groups/dh_digitalassets/@dh/@en/@ps/documents/digitalasset/dh_117154.doc
• Monitor have issued guidance to FTs indicating that they will performance manage for the full year against 95%. Available at: http://www.monitor-nhsft.gov.uk/home/our-publications/browse-category/guidance-foundation-trusts/mandatory-guidance/compliance-frame-0
• CQC have yet to confirm their position, but were copied into the Monitor letter. They had previously indicated that they would follow the DH's lead.
• PCTs are able to retain the 98% threshold as a local agreement in the contract. However, to do this both parties must agree.  Hence local clinicians should discuss this with their managers.

Abolition of the four hour waiting standard for EDs (June 2010) - The Secretary of State for Health has written an open letter to the CEM President to clarify the decision to abolish the four hour target from next year and the development of quality indicators for EDs