Developing NICE guidelines: the manual

The developer drafts the guideline scope.

The draft scope is placed on the NICE website (for 4 weeks) for consultation with stakeholders. Stakeholders comment on the scope (see advising and commenting on a draft scope) and may attend a scoping workshop.

The final scope is published on the NICE website.

The guideline committee is recruited and you can apply to join (see joining a committee).

The committee agrees questions for the guideline and the developer looks for evidence and prepares cost analyses.

The committee discusses the evidence and makes recommendations.

If no evidence is found, the developer may ask for evidence from people who use services. You could get involved in this way (see answering a call for evidence).

The draft guideline is placed on the NICE website (for 4 to 6 weeks) for consultation with stakeholders.

Stakeholders send their comments on the draft guideline to NICE.

The committee discusses the stakeholders' comments and makes changes to the guideline. In this way, stakeholders can inform the final guideline.

The developer writes replies to all the stakeholder comments.

NICE signs off the guideline for publication.

Stakeholders are sent a confidential advance copy of the guideline just before publication.

The guideline is published on the NICE website along with the stakeholder comments and responses.

NICE carries out regular checks to see if the guideline needs updating.

Stakeholders and individuals can tell NICE if a guideline might need updating.