Interim methods guide for developing good practice guidance

15.1.1 Tailored implementation tools based on the needs assessment

The needs assessment may identify additional tools that would be useful for addressing specific learning or education needs of staff and organisations. These targeted tools for GPG are prepared by the implementation adviser with input from the NICE project team. There is some evidence that barriers to uptake of GPG identified in advance can be overcome by designing specific interventions to address them, although it is not always very clear how best to identify the barriers and which particular types of interventions are best for each barrier (Baker et al. 2010).

When there is an agreed need for specific implementation tools to support recommendations about drugs and prescribing, the implementation adviser works with the NICE Medicines and Prescribing Centre to produce these materials.

See Into Practice on the NICE website for examples of the types of tailored tools that are produced. These could include:

There might also be signposting to resources developed and promoted with other organisations, such as professional or patient groups. Identifying other organisations that may produce support tools to support implementation of the GPG is also encouraged.

Other tools that could be used are described below; not all guidance will have the same tools and these will be tailored according to the needs assessment. For more information, see the NICE website.

15.1.2 Baseline assessment tool

The baseline assessment tool is prepared by the audit coordinator. It is an Excel spreadsheet that organisations can use to identify whether they are in line with practice recommended in the GPG, and to help them plan activity to implement the recommendations.

15.1.3 Audit tools

Audit tools are prepared by an audit specialist. They help organisations to carry out audits based on some of the GPG's measurable recommendations. They consist of audit standards, data collection tools and action plans. Some will also be produced as Excel electronic audit tools that provide a basic data analysis and audit report.

15.1.4 Costing tools

Costing tools are prepared by a costing analyst. They are intended to help organisations assess the costs and potential savings associated with implementing the guidance. The costing analyst assesses the recommendations to identify those with the greatest resource impact (using NICE's Assessing cost impact – methods guide). NICE provides costing tools to accompany guidance that includes:

Further details of costing tools can be found on the NICE website.

15.2.1 Initial involvement during guidance development

At the start of the guidance development process, an implementation team is assigned to work with the NICE project team and GDG. The team consists of a costing lead, an audit lead and an implementation adviser, working closely with communications.

During scoping of the GPG, the implementation adviser carries out an initial assessment to ensure that all critical stakeholders have registered and starts to record a log of any implementation issues that arise. This log is kept up to date throughout guidance development to inform the development of the implementation support plan.

At GDG meeting 2 or 3, GDG members are given a general briefing paper from the implementation team explaining its work and future involvement.

At the end of GPG consultation, the costing analyst and the implementation adviser usually attend a GDG meeting to hear the outcome of the consultation and to consider how this affects key implementation issues. They can attend a GDG meeting to discuss their work.

The GDG may also invite other members of the implementation team to meetings at any time if discussion about other implementation issues is needed.

Volunteers from the GDG are needed to work with the implementation teams. Two members are needed to contribute to the development of the costing tools if these tool are needed (the 'GDG costing nominees') and 2 for the development of the implementation support tools (the 'GDG implementation support nominees'). After consultation, the implementation adviser liaises with the GDG implementation support nominees to discuss the implementation support plan and to agree their level of input into tool development.

15.2.2 Commenting on the draft implementation tools

Comments are invited on accuracy, clarity and whether the tools described below provide an accurate interpretation of the key messages of the GPG.