Young people will now be able to help assess GPs on the child health and maternity services they provide, under proposals out to consultation.
The government is proposing that from April 2009, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (Nice) oversees the annual process of reviewing clinical indicators for the Quality and Outcomes Framework. The framework assesses practices on a range of indicators, such as the quality of extra services offered.
Nice will be responsible for developing a more transparent and inclusive review process and will ask for input from patients and carers, primary care professionals and other stakeholders.
Dr Mike Dixon, chairman of the NHS Alliance, said: "The framework has made UK GP practices the most accountable in the world. The new arrangements with Nice will make a real difference to the quality of care our patients receive."
