The DoH draft document, Quality Framework for Community Services, outlines more than 60 indicators that could be used to improve the quality of services.
The move is part of the drive begun by Lord Darzi to improve quality in the NHS.
In June, the DoH published a set of more than 200 quality indicators that were mainly designed to improve care in the acute sector.
The latest set of indicators is the result of a DoH consultation with nursing and primary care organisations last year.
They outline metrics such as whether personalised care plans have been drawn up for patients with long-term conditions.
Other indicators include the percentage of patients on an end of life pathway who die in the location they chose.
The indicators also measure the proportion of staff given mandatory and non-mandatory training and staff satisfaction.
The proposals are currently in draft form and a final version is due to be published next year.
Lynn Young, RCN primary care adviser, said: ‘It will encourage teams to look at services. We will get a team approach looking at the document, using it to stimulate discussion about how we can make small decisions yet at the same time improve quality.'
