These are the main stages in developing diagnostic technologies guidance.
Timings are approximate. For a full description of the process see the:
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wk0
Stakeholders identified
Stakeholders include:
- professional societies and royal colleges
- national organisations representing patients and carers
- health professionals
- statutory organisations.
Stakeholders are consulted throughout the assessment process.
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wk0
Draft scope prepared
We produce a scope for each assessment.
The scope defines the:
- disease(s)
- patients and technolog(ies) covered by the assessment
- questions it aims to answer.
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wk8
Specialist Committee members recruited
The diagnostics advisory committee (DAC) is an independent advisory committee.
We recruit professional and lay specialist members with expert knowledge of the subject under consideration.
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wk9
Scoping workshop
The workshop aims to:
- ensure the scope is appropriately defined, including verification or modification of the care pathway
- identify important evidence and any other issues relevant to the evaluation.
The scope is revised after the workshop.
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wk12
Scope published
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wk12
Assessment report prepared
An independent academic centre reviews the evidence and prepares an assessment report.
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wk36
Assessment report received
Registered stakeholders can comment on the report. They have 10 working days to submit comments.
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wk42
Diagnostics advisory committee (DAC) meeting
The committee considers the assessment report and formulates draft recommendations. The relevant meeting papers are sent to members 1 week prior to the meeting.
The committee discussions are held in public.
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wk46
Consultation on draft recommendations opens
DAC makes its provisional recommendations in the consultation document.
Registered stakeholders have 4 weeks to comment.
We publish the document on our website. Health professionals and members of the public can also comment.
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wk51
Diagnostics advisory committee
The committee considers considers comments received on the consultation document and makes its final recommendations.
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wk56
Resolution
Once our Guidance Executive has approved the final guidance, it is open to resolution. This is a final quality assurance step before the guidance is published.
Anyone who commented on the consultation can request we make corrections if they believe:
- there has been a breach of process
- there are factual errors in the guidance
Stakeholders have 3 weeks to submit comments.
You can find out more about resolution in chapter 8 of the programme manual.
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wk63
Guidance publishes
If there are no resolution requests, the final guidance is published.
If we receive resolution requests, we suspend publishing the guidance while we investigate them.