NICE Announces More Than 120 New Quality Standards

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE), the UK's care-rationing body, announced 22 March it is developing more than 120 new quality standards, dramatically increasing the number of standards in development.

NICE currently has 15 published quality standards, and already has another 20 in development in addition to the 123 new proposed standards. The new standards will cover a wide range of diseases, conditions and habits, including pneumonia, multiple sclerosis, contraceptive services, smoking cessation services, fractures, low back pain and urinary tract infections.

"The breadth of topics being referred to us, together with the quality standards we have already published and those we are currently developing, will allow us to integrate our recommendations for the health, social care and public health sectors and define what best quality care looks like across the board," said Dr. Gillian Leng, Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Health and Social Care at NICE.

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