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Developing NICE guidelines: how to get involved: Fully accessible text-only version

Commenting on a draft guideline

Commenting on a draft guideline

Consultation is a crucial part of developing a guideline. Comments from stakeholders help us to make sure the guideline is accurate and relevant to people who will be using it and to people using services.

We put the draft guideline on our website for consultation (for 4 to 6 weeks).

We tell registered stakeholders that the draft is available and how to submit comments. We want stakeholders' views on important issues, such as how easy it will be for people to follow the recommendations. See box 2 on 'things to think about' for tips on what to comment on.

If your organisation and another stakeholder have similar views on the guideline, we encourage you to send a joint response.

The developer will acknowledge each comment and answer it as completely as possible. The committee considers whether changes to the guideline are needed because of the consultation comments. If changes are made, this is made clear in the response to the comment. If no changes are made, the response to the comment explains why not. Comments and the responses are then published on the NICE website with the revised guideline.

We encourage individuals to comment by contacting a stakeholder organisation. If you send comments direct to us, the committee will consider them but we won't publish a response.

Box 2 Commenting on the draft guideline: things to think about


The recommendations

How well do the recommendations:

  • cover the issues in the scope

  • reflect what the evidence says

  • take account of the choices and preferences of people affected by the guideline, and the information and support they need

  • consider the needs of different groups (for example, children and young people, and people from black, Asian and minority ethnic groups)

  • use wording that is clear, easy to follow and respectful

  • identify the right individuals and organisations to take action, and reflect the importance of working together

  • promote equality of opportunity?

Do the recommendations include anything that people affected by the guideline might find unacceptable?

The evidence

  • Are there any possible inconsistencies or disagreements about how the committee interpreted and applied the evidence?

  • Tell us about any other evidence that should be included.

  • Do the research recommendations cover the important gaps in the evidence?

Implementing the recommendations

  • Which recommendations could have the biggest impact and which would be the most challenging to put into practice?

  • What would help users overcome these challenges? Are there existing resources or examples of good practice?

What you need to do as a stakeholder to comment

  • Register your organisation as a stakeholder – see register as a stakeholder on our website.

  • Choose a contact to coordinate comments in your organisation.

  • Circulate the draft in your organisation if appropriate, making clear that it is for consultation and asking people to respond to the contact (rather than directly to NICE).

  • Combine the comments into 1 response from your organisation using the form provided and include the name of your organisation and contact in your response.

  • Highlight and underline any confidential information in your comments.

  • Send the comments by the closing date to the dedicated email address for the topic.

ISBN: 978-1-4731-0828-8


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