NICE indicator process guide

4.1 How stakeholders are involved

NICE indicators are subject to consultation with stakeholders. Stakeholders are organisations with an interest in a particular topic for which an indicator is being developed; they may represent people whose practice or care is directly affected.

Stakeholders include: national organisations for people who use health and social care services, their families and carers, and the public; local Healthwatch

organisations; national organisations that represent health and social care practitioners and other people whose care may be affected by the NICE indicators, this may include; public sector providers and commissioners of care or services; private, voluntary sector and 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.

Individual members of the public can also respond to consultations.

To ensure the appropriate stakeholders are involved in the development of indicators, NICE:

4.2 Respondents

Tobacco organisations (for example, tobacco companies, those who speak for them or are funded by them) with an interest in a particular topic. The term 'respondent' acknowledges NICE's commitment to Article 5.3 of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. This sets out an obligation to protect the development of public health policy from any vested interests of the tobacco industry. We will still carefully consider all consultation responses from the tobacco industry and from those with links to the industry. Disclosures will be included with the published consultation responses and with evidence presented to the committee.

4.3 How NICE communicates with stakeholders

NICE emails stakeholders to tell them the consultation dates. Information about the consultation is also published on the NICE website when it opens.

Stakeholders are invited to submit comments using a dedicated email address.