News / Best practice tariffs on course for 2010

The Department of Health is on course to publish the first best practice tariffs in 2010/11. Proposed in the Department’s 2007 future options consultation, the rapid move to create tariff prices that reflect the costs of best practice (rather than average prices) was signalled in Lord Darzi’s High quality care for all report last summer.

Eileen Robertson (pictured above), economic adviser in the Department’s PBR team, told the HFMA’s PBR summit the new tariffs would support the implementation of best practice in a different way to the commissioning for quality and innovation (CQUIN) incentive scheme. They would focus on specific tariff prices and structures, which could mean tariffs for complete pathways.

She said there would be ‘no single model or approach’. Tariffs are initially being targeted in four areas: (non-elective) fractured neck of femur and stroke; (elective) cataracts and cholecystectomy. These areas had been identified as high-volume activities with unexplained variations in clinical practice and consensus over what represents good practice.

She added there was an expectation that best practice would be rolled out beyond these areas once the principles and procedures had been tested. But she cautioned over expecting too much from best practice tariffs. ‘Price is a very important driver,’ she said. ‘But other levers will be needed to deliver best practice.’