Introduction to NICE
Professor David Haslam CBE
Chair, NICE
Student champion Study Day, June 2014
The background: why NICE was
set up
• Established in 1999
• Aim: to reduce variation in the
availability and quality of
treatments and care (the so
called ‘postcode lottery’)
• To resolve uncertainty about
which medicines and
treatments work best and
which represent best value for
money for the NHS
“Probably not, but it’s
worth a bloody good try.”
Frank Dobson, Health Secretary, who established NICE in
1999, when asked whether he thought it would work.
Expectations
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National, authoritative source of advice
Guidance based on effectiveness and cost effectiveness
Inclusive and consultative approach
Independent and efficient
A service for the NHS and the public which uses it
Broad support from professional and patient groups
Core principles of NICE’s work
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Based on the best evidence available
Expert input
Patient and carer involvement
Independent advisory committees
Genuine consultation
Regular review
Open and transparent process
Social values and equity considerations
A Brief History
1999: Technology appraisals
Clinical guidelines
2002: Interventional procedures
Implementation
2005: Public health guidelines
2009: Cost saving MedTec programme (new technologies)
Diagnostics
NHS Evidence
2011: National Prescribing Centre (now Medicines Prescribing
Centre)
2013: Social care guidelines
Highly specialised technologies
NICE Guidance by Year
300
Evidence
updates
Number of publications
250
Medical
devices
Diagnostics
Quality
Standards
CCGO
QIPP
200
QOF
150
Clinical
Guidelines
Accreditation
Interventional
Procedures
Public
Health
100
Appraisals
50
0
00/01
01/02
02/03
03/04
04/05
05/06
06/07
Year
07/08
08/09
09/10
10/11
11/12
12/13
The NICE portfolio in 2014
Perceptions of NICE: 1999
Supportive
Government,
health
professionals
Curious
Advocacy
groups,
academics,
media
Sceptical/hostile Industry
Blissfully
ignorant
Public
Perceptions of NICE: 2014
Supportive
Government,
health
professionals,
academics,
advocacy
groups,
industry (most)
Curious
Media (most),
public
Sceptical/hostile Industry (some)
media (some)
Blissfully
ignorant
"TheTriumph of NICE"
“NICE may prove to be one of
Britain’s greatest cultural assets
along with Shakespeare,
Newtonian physics, The Beatles,
Harry Potter and the Teletubbies”
Richard Smith, Editor. British Medical
Journal 2004