The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) is delighted to be sponsoring the Health Service Journal (HSJ) Awards 2004 by supporting the category for implementing NICE guidance. The Institute hopes that entrants will demonstrate clear board and clinical commitment to guidance and outline practical plans for implementation which will lead to improvements in patient care.

Andrea Sutcliffe, NICE Planning and Resources Director, said, “These are prestigious and well regarded awards which have attracted a lot of interest in the past. This is a really good way of identifying and promoting best practice in implementing NICE guidance.”

All entries must be in by 4th August 2004. Shortlists will be announced on the 23rd September and the awards evening will take place on the 15th November at the London Hilton, Park Lane.

Entries will only be accepted electronically. Please go to http://www.awards.hsj.co.uk/index.htm to fill out an entry form.

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Further information: NICE press office 0207 067 5900. Please send entry enquiries to hsjawards.entries@emap.com.  

Notes for editors

About NICE

1.  NICE is part of the NHS. It is the independent organisation responsible for providing national guidance on treatments and care for those using the NHS in England and Wales. Its guidance is for healthcare professionals and patients and their carers to help them make decisions about treatment and healthcare.  For further information about NICE you can visit www.nice.org.uk.

2.  NICE produces guidance in three areas of health:

  • the use of new and existing medicines and treatments within the NHS in England and Wales - technology appraisals.
  • the appropriate treatment and care of patients with specific diseases and conditions within the NHS in England and Wales - clinical guidelines.
  • whether interventional procedures used for diagnosis or treatment are safe enough and work well enough for routine use - interventional procedures.

NICE also funds three enquiries that undertake research into the way patients are treated to identify ways of improving the quality of care (the investigations are known as confidential enquiries).

3.  NICE guidance and recommendations are prepared by independent groups that include professionals working in the NHS and people who are familiar with the issues affecting patients and carers.

About the HSJ Awards

4.  The HSJ Awards aim to recognise and reward every aspect of healthcare management: acute services, primary care, public health, chronic disease and mental health. Almost every relevant discipline is represented too, from IT to patient safety. With entries coming from every part of the UK and winners emerging from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, as well as all parts of England, the Awards have evolved to become the biggest celebration of innovation and excellence in UK health services. For more information about the awards please go to http://www.awards.hsj.co.uk/index.htm