NICE
On 29th October 2009 the Department of Health formally requested the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence to produce a clinical guideline on “the diagnosis and management of new onset headaches in adolescents and adults”
Clinical guidelines are recommendations by NICE on the appropriate treatment and care of people with specific diseases and conditions within the NHS. They are based on the best available evidence. Good clinical guidelines aim to improve the quality of healthcare and:
• provide recommendations for the treatment and care of people by health professionals
• be used to develop standards to assess the clinical practice of individual health professionals
• be used in the education and training of health professionals
• help patients to make informed decisions
• improve communication between patient and health professional
In the NICE clinical guideline development process, amongst the different types stakeholders are national patient and carer organisations that directly or indirectly represent the interests of people whose care is covered by the guideline (‘patient and carer stakeholders') and that’s where we fit in.
OUCH UK has registered as a stakeholder and has been accepted as such.
The next step in the process is preparing the “Scope”
The National Collaborating Centre (NCC) commissioned to develop the guideline prepares the scope. This document sets out what the guideline will – and will not – cover. NICE, registered stakeholders and an independent guideline review panel can all contribute to the development of the scope.
Then a “Guideline development group is established”
This group is made up of health professionals, representatives of patient and carer groups and technical experts.
A draft guideline is then produced where the group assesses the available evidence and makes recommendations. There is then at least one public consultation period for registered stakeholders to comment on the draft guideline. An independent guideline review panel reviews the guideline to check that stakeholder comments have been taken into account.
The development group then finalises the recommendations and the collaborating centre produces the final guideline.
Hopefully, NICE then formally approves the final guideline and issues its guidance to the NHS.
Watch this space!
