• NICE begins publishing social care guidance and quality standards to bridge the gap between health and social care services
• A new name reflects the Institute's increased role and responsibilities
• A change in status for NICE means a new Chair and Board

As part of the biggest ever reform of the NHS, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence has now become the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence and officially begins its major new programme of work to bring high-quality guidance and standards to the social care sector.

The Institute will still be known under the acronym NICE but the new name comes into effect to reflect the changes to its role as set out in the Health and Social Care Act (2012).

Sir Andrew Dillon, NICE Chief Executive, said: “April sees many changes to the way healthcare services are commissioned and how public health responsibilities are coordinated, but one of the constants throughout this period of transition is NICE. We will continue to deliver evidence-based guidance, standards and information as before but are pleased to officially begin doing so for social care. We hope this will encourage better integration of health and social care services to deliver the best possible standard of care for people.”

Health Minister, Lord Howe said: "NICE is an international leader in providing evidence based advice and guidance to support improvements in the Health Service and Public Health.

"Improving the standard and quality of care and support services is one of our top priorities. I am delighted that NICE's remit has expanded into this area and that it will play an important role in driving up the quality of care."

As well as the Institute's increased remit, the Health and Social Care Act (2012) also puts the Institute on a stronger statutory footing, changing NICE from a Strategic Health Authority to a Non-Departmental Government Body.

NICE welcomes its new Chair, Professor David Haslam. Professor Haslam takes over the helm from Professor Sir Michael Rawlins who leaves after 13 years in the role.

Professor David Haslam said: "I am extremely honoured to begin work as the Chair of NICE. It is an organisation which, under the exemplary leadership of Professor Sir Michael Rawlins since its inception, has deservedly assumed a position as world-leader in the field of evidence-based guidance and standards. Sir Michael will be a tough act to follow but I look forward to the challenge of ensuring that NICE maintains and develops its hard-earned global reputation and continues to ensure better outcomes for patients in a rapidly changing health and social care environment."

Sir Andrew Dillon added: “We are delighted to welcome our new Chair, David Haslam, whose extensive experience as a GP and in the national leadership roles he has undertaken, and his awareness of the challenges facing social care, together with his knowledge of the Institute, make him ideally placed to lead NICE into the next exciting phase of its development.

“In welcoming David, I would also like to acknowledge the outstanding leadership of Sir Michael Rawlins, who stepped down as our Founding Chair at the end of March, and to those of our non-executive director colleagues who left the Board at the end of March for their valued contribution to the Institute.”

Tomorrow (Wednesday 3 April), the first two of the Institute's new quality standards for social care will be published. One will focus on helping people with dementia to live well, while the other looks at improving the health and wellbeing of looked-after children and young people. Nine other topics are currently in the pipeline with the Department of Health consulting with third parties on further topics for consideration.

Professor Gillian Leng, Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Health and Social Care at NICE, said: “We are pleased to set our first two quality standards for social care on supporting people with dementia to live well and on supporting the health and wellbeing of looked-after children and young people. We have developed these in close partnership with service users, carers and the organisations that support and speak on their behalves, and so we hope these will support excellence in the sector.

“Having evidence-based guidance on what works well and quality standards set on high-priority improvement areas will be important for a number of different audiences, perhaps particularly people who will be paying for their own care. We look forward to embracing this new responsibility for social care and engaging with new audiences.”

Ends

Notes to Editors

Plans to expand NICE's role into social care and the Institute's change of name and status were first proposed by the Department of Health in its Health and Social Care Bill in 2010. The Bill was subsequently passed by Parliament and became the Health and Social Care Act in 2012.

The new NICE Chair

Professor David Haslam was National Clinical Advisor to the Care Quality Commission (CQC) until 31 March 2013 and is the immediate Past President of the British Medical Association. He was President of the Royal College of General Practitioners from 2006-09 and its Chairman between 2001 and 2004. From 1976-2011 he was a GP in Huntingdon. Prior to his appointment as Chair of NICE, he was the Institute's Chair of the NICE Evidence Accreditation Advisory Committee. He was also awarded the CBE in 2004 for services to Medicine and Health Care and is an experienced publisher and broadcaster on health issues.

The new NICE Board

The NICE Board consists of a non-executive Chair and 8 non-executive directors, who sit with 4 executive directors and 4 other directors.

New NICE quality standards for social care

Quality standards are a collection of evidence-based statements, which outline high-priority areas in need of improvement. They draw on guidance NICE has either published or accredited. As of Tuesday 2 April, NICE has published 29 quality standards for the NHS.

The two new quality standards - the first for the social care sector - will be available from 00.01 Wednesday 3 April 2013 at:

• Supporting people with dementia to live well
• The health and wellbeing of looked-after children and young people

Embargoed copies are available on request from the NICE press office.

These two quality standards have been developed as part of a pilot programme testing methods and processes, exploring the format and presentation of the quality standards in social care settings, and developing an approach to integrating related health and social care standards.

Further information about the list of referred social care topics and the Department of Health's consultation for new topics.

About NICE

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is the independent body responsible for driving improvement and excellence in the health and social care system. We develop guidance, standards and information on high-quality health and social care. We also advise on ways to promote healthy living and prevent ill health.

Formerly the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, our name changed on 1 April 2013 to reflect our new and additional responsibility to develop guidance and set quality standards for social care, as outlined in the Health and Social Care Act (2012).

Our aim is to help practitioners deliver the best possible care and give people the most effective treatments, which are based on the most up-to-date evidence and provide value for money, in order to reduce inequalities and variation.

Our products and resources are produced for the NHS, local authorities, care providers, charities, and anyone who has a responsibility for commissioning or providing healthcare, public health or social care services.

To find out more about what we do, please visit our website and follow us on Twitter: @NICEComms