TY - JOUR
T1 - Nurse staffing and quality of care in UK general practice: cross-sectional study using routinely collected data
AU - Griffiths, P.
AU - Murrells, T.
AU - Maben, J.
AU - Jones, S.
AU - Ashworth, M.
PY - 2010/1
Y1 - 2010/1
N2 - Background
In many UK general practices, nurses have been used to deliver results against the indicators of the Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF), a 'pay for performance' scheme.
Aim
To determine the association between the level of nurse staffing in general practice and the quality of clinical care as measured by the QOF
Design of the study
Cross-sectional analysis of routine data.
Setting
English general practice in 2005/2006.
Method
QOF data from 7456 general practices were linked with a database of practice characteristics, nurse staffing data, and census-derived data on population characteristics and measures of population density. Multi-level modelling explored the relationship between QOF performance and the number of patients per full-time equivalent nurse. The outcome measures were achievement of quality of care for eight clinical domains as rated by the QOF, and reported achievement of 10 clinical outcome indicators derived from it.
Results
A high level of nurse staffing (fewer patients per full-time equivalent practice-employed nurse) was significantly associated with better performance in 4/8 clinical domains of the QOF (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, coronary heart disease, diabetes, and hypertension, P = 0.004 to P
AB - Background
In many UK general practices, nurses have been used to deliver results against the indicators of the Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF), a 'pay for performance' scheme.
Aim
To determine the association between the level of nurse staffing in general practice and the quality of clinical care as measured by the QOF
Design of the study
Cross-sectional analysis of routine data.
Setting
English general practice in 2005/2006.
Method
QOF data from 7456 general practices were linked with a database of practice characteristics, nurse staffing data, and census-derived data on population characteristics and measures of population density. Multi-level modelling explored the relationship between QOF performance and the number of patients per full-time equivalent nurse. The outcome measures were achievement of quality of care for eight clinical domains as rated by the QOF, and reported achievement of 10 clinical outcome indicators derived from it.
Results
A high level of nurse staffing (fewer patients per full-time equivalent practice-employed nurse) was significantly associated with better performance in 4/8 clinical domains of the QOF (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, coronary heart disease, diabetes, and hypertension, P = 0.004 to P
U2 - 10.3399/bjgp10X482086
DO - 10.3399/bjgp10X482086
M3 - Article
SN - 1478-5242
VL - 60
SP - e36-e48
JO - British Journal of General Practice
JF - British Journal of General Practice
IS - 570
ER -
