People can comment on our guidance at specific stages in its development. This means stakeholders and others with an interest in our guidance can feed back into the decision making process.
Current guidance consultations
The consultation process
This can vary between the different types of guidance. There are normally 3 main opportunities for external consultation.
Before development
We ask if a technology should be evaluated, and what the scope of the evaluation should be. The scope can include which parts of the topic, technology, condition or disease are considered.
Depending on the guidance type, this is called either scope consultation or topic engagement.
During development
We invite comments on a draft version of the guidance.
Often, questions for stakeholders get posted with the draft guidance.
After publication
We hold a review consultation to ask people if guidance should be updated, and how.
There are other opportunities for people to get involved in developing our guidance. Our guidance and public involvement pages offer more information on this.
Who takes part
Stakeholders, commentators and consultees are involved in different ways depending on the type of guidance in development.
Stakeholders
An organisation with an interest in a topic that NICE is developing guidance on. Organisations that register as stakeholders can comment on the draft scope and the draft guidance. Stakeholders may be:
- local government and utilities in England
- NHS organisations
- national organisations or groups of and for people who use health and social care services, their families and carers, and the public
- organisations representing people working in health and social care
- local Healthwatch organisations
- 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.
Commentators
People (commentators) invited by NICE to take part in the decision making process and comment on the various documents produced during the process. Unlike consultees, commentators cannot appeal against the final recommendations.
Consultees
An organisation or individual invited to comment during development of NICE guidance. Consultees can submit evidence, comment on the draft documents and appeal against a committee's final recommendations. Consultee organisations include:
- national groups representing patients and carers
- bodies representing healthcare professionals
- companies for the intervention being appraised.