Guidance for health boards, trusts and other stakeholders on how to follow NICE guidelines.
Contents
Overview
We are working with the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) to improve quality in health and social care.
We have an agreement that all NICE guidelines and quality standards are available to use in Wales. Except for technology appraisal guidance (TAGs), their use is not mandatory.
All NICE guidance used in Wales is subject to Welsh legislation [1].
NICE guidance covers:
- NICE guidelines
- TAGs
- Diagnostics guidance
- Medical technologies guidance
- Interventional procedures guidance
- Highly specialised technologies guidance
TAGs must be made available within 60 calendar days after the first publication of the Final Appraisal Determination (FAD). We provide a New Treatment Fund to help health boards and trusts achieve this.
The standards set out the priority areas for improving health and social care. They are not mandatory but should be used to plan and deliver services to provide the best possible care.
What Health Boards, Trusts and Local Authorities should do to make best use of NICE guidance and quality standards
To help us improve services and support our long term plan, we expect health boards, local authorities and trusts to:
- develop systems and processes for disseminating, implementing and risk assessing against NICE guidelines and quality standards
- identify any gaps and action required to improve the quality of services
- provide assurance to Welsh Government that NICE guidelines have been considered, if requested
- ensure that new medicines recommended are available within 60 calendar days of the FAD
- report the time it takes to place medicines recommended by NICE TAGs on prescribing lists
- sign up as stakeholders and comment on developing guidelines
NICE has appointed an implementation facilitator who is based in Wales to engage with key partner organisations. They will support teams in Wales to make the best use of NICE products to deliver high-quality services.
Contact NICEfieldteam@nice.org.uk for further information.
Footnote
[1] As an English Non-Departmental Public Body accountable to the Department of Health and Social Care, the Welsh Language Standards do not apply to NICE and NICE products. Organisations in Wales are not expected to provide Welsh translation of NICE products when using them.