National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE)
Printable version E-mail this to a friend

NICE consults on revised methods and process for clinical guideline development

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has today (1 April) published a consultation document on its website outlining proposed changes to the methods and process that underpin NICE’s clinical guidelines work programme.

The consultation document - The guidelines manual – is a detailed resource intended primarily for those involved in the development of guidelines for the Institute, such as the National Collaborating Centres that are commissioned by NICE to develop NICE clinical guidelines, and the Guideline Development Groups that produce the individual guidelines. The draft manual applies to both NICE’s standard clinical guidelines and short clinical guidelines processes and will replace the existing Guidelines manual published in April 2007.

The draft manual includes a new step in the guideline development process: the ‘pre-publication check’ will enable registered stakeholders to raise concerns about factual errors within a guideline after consultation and before its publication. This process will be piloted with a number of guidelines during the consultation on the manual. The results from the pilot will be used to inform the final guidelines manual.

Dr Mercia Page, NICE’s Clinical Practice Centre Director, said: “NICE is an acknowledged world leader in the development of clinical guidelines. However, it is important that we regularly review the methods and process by which we produce our guidance to ensure that we continue to properly engage with both health professionals and patients and that, ultimately, the guidance we produce is both relevant and robust.”

The consultation period for the draft guidelines manual ends on 1 July 2008.


Notes to Editors

1.The consultation document is available at www.nice.org.uk

About NICE


2.The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) is the independent organisation responsible for providing national guidance on the promotion of good health and the prevention and treatment of ill health.

3.NICE produces guidance in three areas of health:

public health – guidance on the promotion of good health and the prevention of ill health for those working in the NHS, local authorities and the wider public and voluntary sector

health technologies – guidance on the use of new and existing medicines, treatments and procedures within the NHS

clinical practice – guidance on the appropriate treatment and care of people with specific diseases and conditions within the NHS.

Derby City Council Showcase