Newly added or removed from the COPD register 

Overview/Purpose

These patient status alerts support QOF 2026/27 COPD register accuracy.

These alerts will appear where changes to the QOF COPD register rules appear to have either added or removed a patient from the COPD register. This allows the patient’s COPD coding to be reviewed and amended where appropriate.

What does it do?

The alert checks the patient’s record against the updated QOF COPD register logic.

It identifies two scenarios:

• patients who appear to have been removed from the COPD register following QOF changes
• patients who appear to have been added to the COPD register following QOF changes

Where either scenario applies, the user is shown an alert advising them to review the COPD coding.

Why is it important?

QOF rule changes can affect which patients appear on the COPD register.

This may mean that some patients:

• are newly included because of qualifying COPD diagnosis or monitoring/procedure codes
• are removed because their previous coding no longer meets the current QOF register logic

These alerts help practices identify these patients opportunistically so that records can be reviewed and corrected where appropriate.

What will the user see?

Review COPD coding

If a patient has been removed from the COPD register, the alert explains that the patient has been removed following this year’s QOF changes.

If a patient has been added to the COPD register, the alert explains that the patient has been added following this year’s QOF changes. 

Recommended user action

Users should:

• review the COPD coding shown in the alert
• check whether the patient should clinically remain on the COPD register
• amend or update COPD coding where appropriate
• consider whether any COPD review or follow-up is needed
• avoid changing coding unless it accurately reflects the patient’s clinical record
  

System Dependencies

These alerts rely on accurate recording of:

• COPD diagnosis codes
• COPD monitoring and procedure codes
• QOF COPD register logic for 2026/27
  

Change management considerations

Practices should ensure clinical and coding teams understand:

• QOF COPD register changes may affect register inclusion
• patients flagged by the alert should be reviewed clinically
• coding should only be amended where clinically appropriate
• the alert is intended to support coding accuracy, not automatic register correction
  

Technical development notes

Expected alert behaviour:

• if historical COPD coding exists but the patient no longer meets current COPD register logic, the alert should show the patient has been removed from the register
• if the patient now meets current COPD register logic but was not previously included, the alert should show the patient has been added to the register

How to get it

These alerts will automatically be in your system when you join our organisation group.