BMJ  2006;333:170 (22 July), doi:10.1136/bmj.333.7560.170

News

Can NICE guidance be given more clout?

Susan Mayor

London

Until now it has been difficult to know if trusts are implementing NICE's guidance. New self assessment health checks could make it clearer and increase compliance, writes Susan Mayor

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

One in six trusts of the English health service is not adhering to guidance on the use of treatments from the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE), or does not know whether it is or not, according to the preliminary results from the new annual health check scheme, which are designed to publicly show whether trusts are meeting standards (BMJ 2006;333: 114, 15 Jul[Free Full Text]).


Figure Removed (Available Only in the Full Text)
 Michael Rawlins, chairman of NICE, whose recommendations are being flouted, particularly in the area of cancer, multiple sclerosis, and rheumatology

Credit: NICE

 

The finding echoes reports from doctors' and patients' organisations that the approval of a treatment by NICE does not necessarily mean that trusts will provide it, particularly for some of the newer, more costly drugs. The Audit Commission warned, in a report last year, Managing the Financial Implications of NICE Guidance, "Currently, the implementation of . . . [Full text of this article]


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