Background

Following the Report of the Francis Inquiry and the Berwick Review into Patient Safety, NICE has been asked by the Department of Health and NHS England to produce guidelines on safe staffing capacity and capability in the NHS.

The National Quality Board (NQB) has set out the immediate expectations of NHS providers in providing safe staffing levels. Their Guide to nursing, midwifery and care staffing capacity and capability brings together tools, resources and examples of good practice as a practical guide to help NHS providers and commissioners.

To take this forward in the longer term, NICE has been asked to conduct a comprehensive review of the evidence in this area and produce definitive guidelines on safe staffing levels to support local decisions at ward and organisational level.

NICE's role in safe staffing guidance

Our role will be to develop evidence-based guidelines, using methods and processes similar to our other guidance products, which set out safe staffing levels for the NHS, and to review and endorse any associated tools. We have not been asked to set minimum staffing levels. The guidelines will be primarily for use within NHS provider organisations or others who provide or commission care for NHS patients.

The focus of work will be on nursing and midwifery staffing levels, including nursing support staff, to ensure an appropriate balance of skill-mix across the whole team on the wards and in other settings. Other elements of the healthcare team may also need to be included, particularly in future areas of work such as in mental health.

The guidelines will be developed by an independent safe staffing advisory committee, and the programme will be overseen by a safe staffing steering group. Read more about how the guidelines will be developed.

Topic areas for guidance

The topic areas for NICE's work will be prioritised according to where the most research is already available, to allow time for the evidence base to develop. The table below outlines the topics referred to NICE to date. Other topics may be referred to NICE in the future. Guidelines will be prioritised in conjunction with the Safe Staffing Steering Group.

Registering as a stakeholder for NICE safe staffing guidelines

We encourage stakeholders to get involved in the development of our guidelines at all stages. At NICE, the term 'stakeholder' has an official status in our guideline development process. Stakeholders can include:

• national organisations that represent the interests of people who use health and social care services, their families and carers, and the public
• national organisations that represent health and social care practitioners and other relevant professionals whose practices may be affected by the guideline, or who can influence uptake
• public sector providers and commissioners of care or services
• private, voluntary sector or other independent providers of care or services
• companies that manufacture drugs, devices, equipment or adaptations, and commercial industries relevant to public health
• organisations that fund or carry out research
• Government departments and national statutory agencies.

We encourage organisations to register their interest early, when we begin the process of guideline development. However, we also welcome organisations to register throughout the development process and to contribute from that point onwards.

Register as a stakeholder for NICE safe staffing guidelines