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Indicator

The contractor establishes and maintains a register of:

  • Patients with a clinical diagnosis of COPD before (start date), and

  • Patients with a clinical diagnosis of COPD on or after (start date) whose diagnosis has been confirmed by a quality assured post bronchodilator spirometry FEV1/FVC ratio below 0.7 between 3 months before or 3 months after diagnosis.

Indicator type

General practice indicator suitable for use in the Quality and Outcomes Framework.

This document does not represent formal NICE guidance. For a full list of NICE indicators, see our menu of indicators.

To find out how to use indicators and how we develop them, see our NICE indicator process guide.

Rationale

The aim of this indicator is to encourage practices to maintain a register of patients with a diagnosis of COPD and to use that register of patients to inform the care they deliver. The register can also provide a denominator to inform additional indicators that could be developed.

This indicator also aims to prospectively encourage objective testing to support diagnosis of COPD. Linking diagnosis and objective testing to entry onto the QOF COPD disease register aims to contribute towards a reduction in both misdiagnosis and the risk of overtreatment in people with COPD.

Source guidance

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in over 16s: diagnosis and management. NICE guideline NG115 (2018, updated 2019), recommendations 1.1.4 and 1.1.5

Specification

A register of people with a diagnosis of COPD.

Exclusions: None

Minimum population: The indicator would be appropriate to assess performance at individual general practice level.

ISBN: 978-1-4731-5985-3