Written question asked by Lord Jones of Cheltenham (Liberal Democrat), in the House of Lords. It was answered by Earl Howe (Conservative) on Monday, 18 July 2011.

Health: Orthopaedics

Question: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the benefit in quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) to patients who have received care which is consistent with the best-practice tariff for hip fracture.

Answer: The aim of the best-practice tariff (BPT) for hip fracture is to reduce unexplained variations and to raise the quality of care and improve outcomes for patients. The BPT is based on elements of care which are consistent with best practice and the recently published hip fracture guidance from National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE). BPT was introduced in April 2010 and data received over the past 12 months have demonstrated a steady increase in the number of patients whose care is in line with the standards of care required for compliance with the BPT. At this stage, it is not possible to express improvements in outcomes in terms of QALYs. The department has commissioned an evaluation of the impact of the introduction of the BPT, which is due to report later this year. This report will comment on the improvement in care for patients, using the most appropriate means of measurement.

Secondary information