Background and Purpose-We wished to ascertain whether a new contract based on financial incentives for general practitioners has been associated with improved recording of quality indicators for patients with stroke and whether there was evidence of any difference in change between sex, age, and deprivation groups. Methods-In a serial cross-sectional study, patients from 310 general practices with a computer record of transient ischemic attack or stroke in Scotland were analyzed for their recording of quality indicators before and after the introduction of a new quality-based contract on March 31, 2004. Multivariate analyses were used to explore any differences in recording between age, sex, and deprivation groups. Results-Documentation of quality indicators increased over time, with absolute increases for individual indicators ranging from 32.3% to 52.1%. There was a large increase in the documentation of quality indicators among the oldest patients (Ͼ75 years) and the most affluent patients. This tended to attenuate age groups differences and to exacerbate differences between deprivation groups. Women tended to have larger increases in documentation than men; however, sex differences persisted, with women less likely than men to have smoking habits recorded (adjusted odds ratio, 0.87; 95% confidence interval, 0.81 to 0.95) or to receive antiplatelet or anticoagulant therapy (adjusted odds ratio, 0.93; 95% confidence interval, 0.86 to 0.99). Conclusions-The recording and management of quality indicators among patients with stroke increased substantially.However, inequitable care exists, which may have important implications for female, older, and more deprived subgroups in terms of stroke recurrence and mortality.

The introduction of the new contract was associated with a dramatic rise in the recording of CHD-related quality indicators. However, not all the population benefited equally for certain aspects of care.

Background:Aspirin and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are widely used as analgesics and preventative agents for vascular events. It is unclear whether their long-term use affects cancer risk. Data on the chemopreventative role of these drugs on the risk of the upper aerodigestive tract cancer (UADT) are insufficient and mostly refer to oesophageal cancer. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of aspirin and other NSAIDs on the risk of UADT cancers.Methods:A nested case–control study using the Primary Care Clinical Informatics Unit (PCCIU) database. Conditional logistics regression was used for data analysis.Results:There were 2392 cases of UADT cancer diagnosed between 1996 and 2010 and 7165 age-, gender- and medical practice-matched controls from 131 general medical practices. Mean age of cases was 66 years (s.d. 12) and most were male (63%). Aspirin was prescribed in a quarter of cases and controls, COX-2 inhibitors in 4% of cases and 5% of controls and other NSAIDs in 33% of cases and 36% of controls. Aspirin prescription was associated with a nonsignificant risk reduction of cancer of UADT (adjusted OR=0.9, 95% CI=0.8, 1.0), head and neck (HN; adjusted OR=0.9, 95% CI=0.7, 1.1) or the oesophagus (adjusted OR=0.8, 95% CI=0.7, 1.0). Similar results were found for COX-2 inhibitors prescription. Prescription of other NSAIDs was associated with significantly reduced risk of cancer of UADT (adjusted OR=0.8, 95% CI=0.7, 0.9), HN (adjusted OR=0.8, 95% CI=0.7, 0.9) and the oesophagus (adjusted OR=0.8, 95% CI=0.7, 0.9). An increased volume of aspirin prescriptions was associated with a significant risk reduction (test for trend P<0.001).Conclusions:The decreased risk of cancer of the UADT associated with the use of non-COX-2 inhibitors, NSAIDs and long-term aspirin therapy warrants further exploration of the benefits vs risks of the use of these agents.

The introduction of the nGMS contract was associated with a rise in the recording of patients with diabetes and the recording of diabetes-related quality indicators. However, women have not benefited equally from the nGMS contract. Strategies are needed to further improve the ascertainment of quality measures and care for women with diabetes, to lessen the potential burden of morbidity amongst female patients in the community.