A qualitative and quantitative evaluation of the Advancing Quality pay-for-performance programme in the NHS North West

Abstract

BackgroundAdvancing Quality (AQ) is a voluntary programme providing financial incentives for improvement in the quality of care provided to NHS patients in the north-west of England.Objectives(1) To identify the impact of AQ on key stakeholders and clinical practice; (2) to assess its cost-effectiveness; (3) to identify key factors that assist or impede its successful implementation; and (4) to provide lessons for the wider implementation of pay-for-performance schemes across the NHS.DesignWe tested whether or not the financial incentives of AQ had an impact on mortality using two methods: a between-region difference-in-differences analysis comparing the North West region and the rest of Eng..