Under the deal with NHS Employers for swine flu pay, which included the suspension of QOF changes for 2010/11, the GPC has agreed a series of changes for the following year.

BMA and DoH guidance on the swine flu pay deal shows that the GPC agreed to the retirement of all eight indicators proposed by NICE for removal from the QOF.

Retiring these indicators will free up 28 points which the GPC has said will be recycled in the 2011/12 QOF.

GPC deputy chairman Dr Richard Vautrey said that talks had not yet begun on where the 28 points freed up would be allocated.

However, as well as measures originally proposed for the 2010/11 QOF, indicators piloted as part of NICE's appraisal scheme will also be considered, he said.

NICE called for new indicators for Down's syndrome and epilepsy and practices are currently piloting five indicators, including two for dementia and three for MI.

Professor Helen Lester, deputy director of the National Primary Care Research and Development Centre, welcomed plans to move QOF forward by removing indicators and releasing points for new indicators.