GP statistics available to public through new data hub

The public can now access a wide range of statistical information on GP practices from across England, with the launch of a new data hub.

NHS Digital’s GP Data Hub, which launched in April, aims to bring together data from GP practises in an easily accessible format.

Over the next six months NHS Digital will add more figures from a variety of health areas onto the unique hub.

“Currently it has Qualities Outcomes Framework (QOF) data, patient list size, as well as indicators about people with learning disabilities,” an NHS Digital spokesman said.

In the first stage of the project statistics were added showing the number of patients registered at each practice and the number of people working at each practice.

It also charted QOF data, which contains information on the percentage of people suffering from different health conditions at practice, regional and care commissioning group (CCG) level.

Digital Health News used the tool to find that obesity prevalence was ranked the highest in Durham Dales, Easington and Sedgefield Clinical Commissioning Group at 14.84% , in contrast to 3.93% at Richmond CCG.

The next development phase of the GP hub is now live with Patient Online information. It provides information on services offered to patients such as access to appointment bookings and dementia resources  – comparing the number of people thought to have dementia with the number of people diagnosed with dementia (aged 65 and over).

“In July we hope to enhance the existing data available by providing breakdowns by Sustainability and Transformation Plan (STP) geographies, adding 2014-15 data to the Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) report – and releasing a new page containing information on patient opt-out requests that have been received by GP practices”, the spokesman said.

He said future content has not yet been finalised but they will be assessing the feasibility of including data on prescribing, immunisations and screening, payments made to GP practices and electronic referrals.

The spokesman said they have received positive feedback since its launch.

“A clinical research network found the GP patient list size content very useful for developing their future research and a primary care network who were keen to create similar reports for their local area”.

Dave Roberts, head of business and operational delivery for NHS Digital, said the data hub is a great visual tool for professionals and patients who are interested in finding out statistical information about their local GP practices.

He said they hope it will encourage more people to engage with what is going on in the primary care sector.