NICE quality standards: process guide

  • NICE process and methods
  • PMG43
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3 Approaches for new and updated NICE quality standards

Key stages in the development of new and updated NICE quality standards are:

  • Topic engagement to receive stakeholder suggestions on key areas for quality improvement.

  • Prioritising areas for quality improvement.

  • Consultation with stakeholders.

  • Reviewing consultation comments and agreeing any changes.

  • Validation by NICE's guidance executive and referring organisation (NHSE or DHSC).

Development of new or updated NICE quality standards will use proportionate approaches that consider:

  • The urgency of the health and care system need.

  • Opportunities to limit duplication of effort in the health and care system.

  • The extent of any required update.

Use of the different approaches for developing and updating quality standards will be monitored on an annual basis.

3.1 Quality standards advisory committee

New and updated NICE quality standards will usually be developed using the NICE quality standards advisory committee (QSAC). The committee includes professionals, practitioners and lay members and consists of:

  • standing members (a core membership who work across topics)

  • specialist members with experience specifically related to the NICE quality standard under discussion. 

For more details, see the QSAC – terms of reference and standing orders.

3.2 NICE guideline committees

To support NICE's strategic vision of providing timely guidance and publishing new and updated quality standards at the same time as underpinning guidelines, a relevant NICE guideline committee with QSAC input may be used for development. The involvement of the QSAC input is intended to provide some balance and independence from the guideline committee.

This method for QS development may be used in situations where the standard QSAC approach as set out in paragraph 3.1 does not support timely publication.

Representation from the QSAC will be agreed as needed to develop the NICE quality standard; the number of QSAC representatives may vary in accordance with the needs of the topic.

3.3 Development groups

A development group of individuals with appropriate expertise and experience may be convened to develop new and updated NICE quality standards.

Representation from the QSAC will be agreed as needed to develop the NICE quality standard; the number of QSAC representatives may vary in accordance with the needs of the topic.

This method for development may be used in situations where:

  • there is an urgent health and care system need or

  • the extent of an update is limited or

  • use of the QSAC advisory committee as set out in paragraph 3.1 is not appropriate because publishing the details of individuals working on a quality standard might put a person at risk of harm.

3.4 Collaboration

To reduce duplication of effort in the health and care system, quality standards produced outside of NICE may be incorporated into, or cross-referred to from, the quality standard library. Generally, the QSAC will assess quality standards produced externally and ensure they:

  • focus on high-priority areas for quality improvement

  • are measurable

  • are underpinned by high-quality evidence sources as outlined in section 1.4

  • included lay members in development

  • have been subject to stakeholder consultation.

Incorporation or cross-referral to externally produced quality standards is subject to validation by NICE's guidance executive and the commissioning body (DHSC or NHSE).