NICE 2001/36A

Issued: 6 November 2001

PRESS RELEASE

NICE moves forward with review of dissemination

The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE or "the Institute") has taken the first steps on a major review of its approach to disseminating its guidance to the NHS, healthcare professionals and patients and their carers in England and Wales. They are pleased to announce the appointment of Citigate Westminster and market research company Citigate DVL Smith to undertake this planned review.

The Institute, which was established in April 1999, is part of the NHS and its role is to provide authoritative and reliable guidance on healthcare for healthcare professionals, users of the service and the wider public in England and Wales. This guidance includes clinical guidelines for specific clinical conditions and technology appraisal guidance on medicines, medical equipment, diagnostics and clinical procedures.

The Institute currently disseminates its guidance using a variety of methods including: paper-based systems, electronic media (including the NICE web site), partnerships with professional and patient/carer organisations and existing routes of communication and dissemination.

The Review will include consultation with the wider NHS, individual healthcare professionals and patients & their carers; and it will benchmark its findings against current best practice across the public and private sectors. It aims to secure a dissemination strategy that is responsive to the needs of all stakeholders, allows efficient and cost-effective dissemination of guidance within limited budgets and makes best use of emerging technology. The Review will be complete by March 2002.

Phil Ranson, (Communication Executive NICE) is leading the Review on behalf of the Institute.

Anne-Toni Rodgers, NICE's Communications Director, said: "Last year we issued guidance that had the potential to affect the care of over ten million users of the NHS and their families. We are aware that our work will only be of benefit to these people, and the health professionals who support them, if it is available to those who need it, when they need it, in a format they can use.

"As the Institute's work programme reaches maturity we will be issuing over 100 guidelines each year. We planned this piece of work to help us ensure that, as the volume of guidance we produce increases, we are in a position to meet the needs of those who need to access our work.

"The Review will contain both quantitative and qualitative aspects, contacting 1000's of our stakeholders including NHS managers, GPs, hospital doctors, public health doctors, pharmacists and prescribing advisers, professional bodies and colleges, together with patients and patient groups, to help shape the future strategy. There will also be an opportunity for individuals to contribute their thoughts through the Institute's web site. The Institute will make the findings of the Review and the recommendations for its future dissemination strategy public following its completion in March 2002."

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Contact at NICE - Phil Ranson 020 7766 9142 or 0778 639 0068

Notes for Editors

Background

1. Under the terms of the Statutory Instrument within which NICE operates, the Institute is charged to "…effectively disseminate clinical guidelines and audit methodologies by working in partnership with the national professional bodies, the DoH, the National Assembly for Wales, the NHS and the public" in order to help health professionals in the NHS give their patients the best possible healthcare within the resources available.

2. The Institute's current approach to dissemination was informed by the overall strategic objectives of the organisation and was appropriate for the Institute when establishing its presence, with a small number of selected publications, within the NHS.

3. The Institute's business planning has concluded that the current approach to dissemination is unsustainable given both the increasing financial pressure that will be exerted as the Institute's work programme reaches maturity, and the volume of guidance to be disseminated.

4. In addition, the Institute is committed to maximising the increasing opportunities for dissemination presented by electronic media.

5. To date, no systematic review into the effectiveness or appropriateness of the Institute's methods of disseminating its guidance has been performed.

6. The Review of Dissemination will involve a number of distinct phases:

• The information from a systematic review of published materials relating to effective dissemination will be used to underpin the development of alternative strategies for dissemination as the Review progresses through its stakeholder consultative phases.
• The Review will benchmark the Institute's dissemination methods against examples of best practice from organisations both within and outside the healthcare sector.
• The consultative phases will involve engaging directly with 1000s of the Institute's key stakeholders within the NHS, the medical professions and with patients and patient groups. This will involve a mix of qualitative (one-to-one depth interviews/focus groups) and quantitative (survey questionnaires either directly mailed or available on the Institute's website) methods.
• The Review will also incorporate an audit of key stakeholder's understanding of the Institute's purpose, tasks and methodology. This audit will inform the development of a revised corporate communications strategy to further develop stakeholders' understanding of the Institute's work from April 2002.

7. The review will be completed for the end of February 2002, with the aim of implementing a new dissemination strategy from April 2002.

8. NICE is a part of the NHS. The Institute produces guidance for both the NHS and patients on medicines, medical equipment and clinical procedures based on evidence of clinical and cost effectiveness. Each appraisal takes an average 12 months to complete and involves the manufacturers of the technology, groups that represent patients/carers and healthcare professionals.

9. NICE promotes clinical and cost effectiveness through its technology appraisals, clinical guidelines and audit tools. NICE supports the work of those who make the complex treatment decisions - doctors, nurses, and other health professionals. The needs of the patient are central to NICE's work, and the Institute has forged strong links with patient groups and representatives.

10. Topics for the NICE work programme are selected by the Department of Health and the National Assembly for Wales.

11. NICE advises the NHS on how these technologies can best be used. It is also responsible for the production of national clinical guidelines, promoting best practice throughout the NHS. To support and assess the implementation of such guidelines, NICE will produce audit tools for use in the clinical setting.