Doctors get chronic illness database

The Department of Health today launched a national database to improve care for chronic illness sufferers.

Doctors will consult the database in a bid to give more accurate long-term diagnoses and prescriptions for patients.

In a press statement, health minister Lord Warner said: "This means that in future the NHS will be able to map populations with these debilitating conditions with pinpoint accuracy. As the database builds up it will allow us to focus resources and plan services appropriately to help us tackle health inequalities. That means good news for NHS patients and good value for money for taxpayers."

The database will also give doctors the ability to recall patients for follow-up appointments and to know when checks are due.

The database is part of the government's Quality and Outcomes Framework, which awards surgeries money based on how well they perform. For example, a GP may earn extra points for treating a patient who has heart disease by also giving a flu jab. The more points a practice earns, the more money they receive.

According to the DoH, a typical GP practice with an average QOF score receives £74,299 on top of their allocated budget.