Putting patients first

The concept of quality is at the heart of every GP's commitment of service to patients. By constantly maintaining the widely diverse knowledge and skills required, the GP ensures the very best of care.

The College is committed to providing a quality framework that supports GPs in this environment, with increasing complexity challenging GPs both legally and professionally.. We seek to provide tools and processes that are evidence-based, professionally led and strengthen members in their practice.

Our commitment is epitomised by the MOPS programme, or Maintenance of Professional Standards.

We also allow general practices to evaluate their performance by both internal and external assessment. These standards and guidelines are set down in publications like Aiming for Excellence, and practices work through the CORNERSTONE practice accreditation programme.

Quality general practice is the provision of best health outcomes that are consistent with patient values and preferences, given the available resources. To maintain and improve the high standards of general practice care, the College commits to the fundamental principle of Putting Patients First. To do that, College tools and processes are based on the best information available. Implicit is that measurement alone is not useful and the synergy occurs when it is associated with a Continuous Quality Improvement approach.

We follow a framework revolving around three circles, Patients, Professionals and the Practice.

• Patient/customer quality: processes to assist practices and GPs to identify and act on outcomes of care provided to patients/customers
• Professional quality: processes that support continuing professional development and improve outcomes of care provided
• Practice management quality: structures and processes that ensure general practices can deliver the best possible outcomes.

Frameworks of quality are important in understanding the holistic nature of quality and to avoid viewing quality in a narrow perspective, for example measuring a doctor's prescribing quality but forgetting their patient communication.