5 Implementation

5.1 Section 7(6) of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Constitution and Functions) and the Health and Social Care Information Centre (Functions) Regulations 2013 requires clinical commissioning groups, NHS England and, with respect to their public health functions, local authorities to comply with the recommendations in this appraisal within 3 months of its date of publication.

5.2 When NICE recommends a treatment 'as an option', the relevant health bodies (clinical commissioning groups, NHS England and local authorities) must make sure it is available within the period set out in the paragraph above. This means that, if a patient has alcohol dependence and the doctor responsible for their care thinks that nalmefene is the right treatment, it should be available for use, in line with NICE's recommendations.

5.3 NICE has developed tools to help organisations put this guidance into practice (listed below).

  • National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE)