Consultant's catch-up
The Implementation Consultants have been busy not only with the usual round of field visits (currently to Acute Trusts, Mental Health Trusts and Local Authorities) but also with two Inside Track events - one in Manchester and one in London - specifically for NICE implementation leads. The packed day included a ‘Question Time' style session where panel members from within and outside of NICE, answered difficult questions about implementation. As it was on a first-come-first-served basis the events soon became ‘waiting list only'. Given that we got feedback that included “It is an excellent idea to get small groups together and share practice: would welcome future events” we are currently considering how we can deliver future events.
Since April we have met half of all Directors of Public Health who have been jointly appointed by the Local Authority. Alongside providing local leadership for swine flu, these unflappable Joint Directors of Public Health have used this as an opportunity to reflect on how they can improve uptake of NICE guidance within Local Authorities and how NICE can support them to do this. We have also met with two thirds of all Medical Directors of Acute Trusts who have given us extremely helpful feedback about some of the new areas of work that NICE are undertaking, including its remit for developing quality standards. Welcomed by most, we frequently get asked “how will these quality standards fit with all the other standards that are out there”? NICE is incorporating the NHS Information Centre's Quality Indicator set into the development of the quality standards. The National Quality Board will ensure the overall alignment of the quality system, which will include the NICE quality standards.
Although we have met with Mental Health Trusts on previous visit rounds, this round of visits has only just started. At a time when the National Service Framework for mental health has come to an end and the new horizons programme is taking shape, Mental Health Trusts want to continue to demonstrate quality and the ones we have seen so far see NICE guidance as being able to help them do this. By the end of September we should have met with nearly all of them.
One of the great things about being an Implementation Consultant for NICE is that we get to hear how people are implementing NICE guidance locally - and encourage them to submit examples of their own experience to our shared learning database (preferably before the end of September, when there is a chance of winning the prestigious ‘NICE shared learning award' along with a cash prize of £1,000).
If you would like to meet your local implementation consultant, do get in touch, through fieldteam@nice.org.uk. We look forward to working with you.
This page was last updated: 11 August 2009
