Service for the diagnosis and management of rheumatoid arthritis in adults
This commissioning guide provides support for the local implementation of NICE clinical guidelines through commissioning. It is a resource to help commissioners of health and social care programmes within the NHS and partner organisations in England to commission an effective service for the diagnosis and management of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in adults.
The Topic-specific Advisory Group identified that at presentation the diagnosis of RA may not be readily apparent, yet early intervention is important. Therefore patients referred to this service are likely to include people with early inflammatory arthritis. The principles of commissioning a service for people with RA may also be applied to the commissioning of services for people with early inflammatory arthritis.
This commissioning guide should be read together with the following NICE guidance:
- NICE clinical guideline CG79. Rheumatoid Arthritis: the management of rheumatoid arthritis in adults
- NICE technology appraisal TA130. Adalimumab, etanercept and infliximab for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis
- NICE technology appraisal TA186. Certolizumab Pegol for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis
- NICE technology appraisal TA195. Adalimumab, etanercept, infliximab, rituximab and abatacept for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis after the failure of a TNF inhibitor
- NICE technology appraisal TA198. Tocilizumab for rheumatoid arthritis
Commissioners may also wish to refer to the NICE commissioning guide on biologic drugs for the treatment of inflammatory disease in rheumatology, dermatology and gastroenterology for further guidance on the commissioning of biologic drugs for the treatment of RA.
NICE guidance provides evidence based recommendations about clinically effective and cost-effective treatments and interventions to improve outcomes for local populations. Making commissioning decisions based on NICE guidance and accredited information from NHS Evidence can help commissioners ensure that they are using their resources effectively.
This commissioning guide highlights any recommendations supporting cases for disinvestment or decommissioning by identifying treatments and interventions that do not add value, enabling commissioners to release resources or generate savings where appropriate.
Implementation of the guidance noted above is the responsibility of local commissioners and/or providers. Commissioners and providers are reminded that it is their responsibility to implement this guidance, in their local context, in light of their duties to avoid unlawful discrimination and to have regard to promoting equality of opportunity. Nothing in the guidance should be interpreted in a way which would be inconsistent with compliance with those duties.
The guide:
- makes the case for commissioning a rheumatoid arthritis service
- specifies service requirements
- helps you determine local service levels
- helps you ensure corporate and quality assurance.
The full text of this commissioning guide can be downloaded or accessed from the navigation menu on the right hand side of the screen. Download the openly available commissioning and benchmarking tool, there is no need to register.
We are keen to improve the commissioning guides in order to better meet the needs of commissioners. Please send us your ideas for future topic-specific guides or other comments.
Read the NICE disclaimer for information on the use and accuracy of content on the NICE website.
February 2011
This page was last updated: 23 February 2011
- Service for the diagnosis and management of rheumatoid arthritis in adults
- Commissioning a service for the diagnosis and management of rheumatoid arthritis in adults
- Specifying a service for the diagnosis and management of rheumatoid arthritis in adults
- Determining local service levels for a service for the diagnosis and management of rheumatoid arthritis in adults
- Assumptions used in estimating a population benchmark
- The commissioning and benchmarking tool
- Ensuring corporate and quality assurance
