How we develop NICE guidelines | NICE guidelines | NICE guidance | Our programmes | What we do | About

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Our recommendations are put together by experts, people using services, carers and the public.</p> <p>Each guideline is developed according to a process that starts from the topic being chosen and extends to any future guideline updates.</p> </div> <div data-g="12 md:4"> <div class="panel"> <h2 class="h3">Find out more</h2> <p><a href="/process/pmg20">Processes and methods used to develop and update NICE guidelines</a></p> <p><a href="https://www.nice.org.uk/process/pmg20/resources/developing-nice-guidelines-how-to-get-involved-2722986687/chapter/introduction">How you can get involved</a></p> </div> </div> <div data-g="12"> <ul class="timeline"> <li> <div class="timeline-badge info">1</div> <div class="timeline-panel"> <div class="timeline-heading"> <h3 class="timeline-title">Topics chosen</h3> </div> <div class="timeline-body"> <p>Topics are referred to us from the following organisations:</p> <ul> <li>Healthcare topics: <a href="http://www.england.nhs.uk/">NHS England</a></li> <li>Public health topics: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-of-health">Department of Health and Social Care</a></li> <li>Social care topics: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-of-health">Department of Health and Social Care</a> and <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-education">Department for Education</a>.</li> </ul> <p> A <a href="/process/pmg20/chapter/1-Introduction-and-overview#choice-of-guideline-topics">number of factors influence the guidelines</a> we develop and the order of development. </p> </div> </div> </li> <li class="timeline-inverted"> <div class="timeline-badge info">2</div> <div class="timeline-panel"> <div class="timeline-heading"> <h3 class="timeline-title">Scope produced</h3> </div> <div class="timeline-body"> <p>The scope outlines:</p> <ul> <li>why there is a need for the guideline</li> <li>the areas the guideline will and will not cover</li> <li>what it intends to achieve.</li> </ul> <p>A draft scope is provided to organisations with an interest in the topic (known as stakeholders) to comment on. Following this, a final version of the scope is published.</p> <p>Read more about <a href="/process/pmg20/chapter/16-glossary#stakeholders">stakeholders</a> and <a href="/process/pmg20/chapter/16-glossary#developer">guideline developers</a>.</p> </div> </div> </li> <li> <div class="timeline-badge info">3</div> <div class="timeline-panel"> <div class="timeline-heading"> <h3 class="timeline-title">Guideline developed</h3> </div> <div class="timeline-body"> <ul> <li> <p>We review the evidence relevant to the guideline. This is developed by agreeing on review questions.</p> <p>Review questions help define <a href="/process/pmg20/chapter/5-Identifying-the-evidence-literature-searching-and-evidence-submission">literature searches</a>, inform the planning and process of the evidence review, and act as a guide for the development of the recommendations.</p> </li> <li> <p>A literature search is carried out. This may result in stakeholders providing additional evidence.</p> </li> <li> <p>A summary of the evidence (known as an <a href="/process/pmg20/chapter/6-Reviewing-research-evidence">evidence review</a>) is prepared.</p> </li> <li> <p>The impact that the guideline will have on <a href="/process/pmg20/chapter/7-Incorporating-economic-evaluation">costs</a> is then considered.</p> </li> <li> <p>The evidence is <a href="/process/pmg20/chapter/16-glossary#committee">considered by a committee</a> made-up of practitioners, professionals, care providers, commissioners, those who use services and family members or carers.</p> <p>Read more about <a href="/process/pmg20/chapter/9-Developing-and-wording-recommendations-and-writing-the-guideline">how our guidelines committee develops recommendations</a>.</p> </li> </ul> </div> </div> </li> <li class="timeline-inverted"> <div class="timeline-badge info">4</div> <div class="timeline-panel"> <div class="timeline-heading"> <h3 class="timeline-title">Draft guideline sent for consultation</h3> </div> <div class="timeline-body"> <p>We send a draft version of the guideline to stakeholders. Equality issues are identified and considered before the guideline is sent out, and the guideline is assessed for its impact on equality.</p> <p>Read more about <a href="/process/pmg20/chapter/10-The-validation-process-for-draft-guidelines-and-dealing-with-stakeholder-comments">guideline consultations</a>.</p> </div> </div> </li> <li> <div class="timeline-badge info">5</div> <div class="timeline-panel"> <div class="timeline-heading"> <h3 class="timeline-title">Comments considered, guideline revised</h3> </div> <div class="timeline-body"> <p>The guideline developer considers comments from stakeholders and agrees any changes. The revised version is reviewed and checked for quality.</p> </div> </div> </li> <li class="timeline-inverted"> <div class="timeline-badge success">6</div> <div class="timeline-panel"> <div class="timeline-heading"> <h3 class="timeline-title">Guideline signed off and published</h3> </div> <div class="timeline-body"> <p>Our senior team, known as the Guidance Executive, considers the guideline and signs it off for publication.</p> <p>We work with the Committee and the Developer to communicate, disseminate, promote awareness and implement the guideline at the time of publication and afterwards.</p> <p>Find out <a href="/About/Who-we-are/Guidance-Executive">who is on our Guidance Executive</a>.</p> </div> </div> </li> <li> <div class="timeline-badge info">7</div> <div class="timeline-panel"> <div class="timeline-heading"> <h3 class="timeline-title">Updating guidelines</h3> </div> <div class="timeline-body"> <p>Our guidelines are updated regularly and prioritised according to users’ need for new and updated guidelines.</p> <p>Routine maintenance changes may also be made after publication, such as fixing broken links.</p> <p>Read more about <a href="https://www.nice.org.uk/process/pmg20/chapter/updating-guideline-recommendations">updates of guidelines</a>.</p> </div> </div> </li> </ul> <br /> <div class="grid grid--loose"> <div data-g="12 md:4"> <h2>How we use evidence to inform recommendations on health and social care</h2> </div> <div data-g="12 md:8"> <ol class="alt"> <li>Our independent committees are made up of health and care professionals, people who use services, and carers. They agree review questions important to the topic area.</li> <li>We search for relevant studies that answer the committee’s questions.</li> <li>The studies are quality appraised and presented to the committee.</li> <li>The committee reads, discusses and understands the evidence.</li> <li>When forming their recommendations, they consider:<br /> <ul> <li>the quality of the evidence</li> <li>expert testimony</li> <li>how they will be used in practice.</li> </ul> </li> </ol> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div></div> </div> </main>  <script async="" src="https://cdn.nice.org.uk/niceorg/js/app.js" type="text/javascript"></script>  <script src="https://cdn.nice.org.uk/V2/Scripts/twitter.bootstrap.min.js" type="text/javascript"></script> <script src="https://cdn.nice.org.uk/V2/Scripts/NICE.bootstrap.min.js" type="text/javascript"></script> <script type="text/javascript"></script> <script src="/Modules/Orchard.Resources/scripts/history.min.js" type="text/javascript"></script> <script src="//cdn.nice.org.uk/V3/Scripts/nice/NICE.EventTracking.js" type="text/javascript"></script> <script src="/Themes/NICE.Bootstrap/scripts/niceorg/NICE.TopScroll.js" type="text/javascript"></script> <script src="/Themes/NICE.Bootstrap/scripts/foot.combined-v1.10.9325.0.js" type="text/javascript"></script> <script> var global_nav_config = { service: "", header: { skipLinkId: "content-start", search: { url: "/search", autocomplete: "/autocomplete?ajax=ajax", query: "", onSearching: window.globalNavSearchingHandler || null }, auth: { environment: "live" }, cookie: false }, footer: true }; </script> <script src="https://cdn.nice.org.uk/global-nav/global-nav.min.js" defer></script> <script src="//cdn.nice.org.uk/cookie-banner/cookie-banner.min.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript"> $(document).ajaxSend(function (event, jqxhr, settings) { if (settings.url.indexOf("?") >= 0) { settings.url = settings.url + "&ajax=ajax"; } else { settings.url = settings.url + "?ajax=ajax"; } }) if ('ontouchstart' in document.documentElement) { $('body').addClass('touch-screen-device'); } else { $('body').addClass('non-touch-screen-device'); } </script> <div id="global-nav-footer"></div> </body> </html>

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How we develop NICE guidelines | NICE guidelines | NICE guidance | Our programmes | What we do | About | NICE