Quality standards: process guide

2.1.1 How QSAC members are appointed

Standing members of QSACs include commissioners, primary care professionals, experts in quality measurement, social care experts, local authority representatives, lay members, secondary care providers and public health practitioners. They are recruited in line with NICE policies and procedures for recruitment and selection to advisory bodies. Positions are advertised on the NICE website and other appropriate places (for example, NICE Twitter, social media and websites of stakeholders, the medical royal colleges and professional organisations), and relevant stakeholders are notified. Candidates are required to submit a declaration of interests, a CV and covering letter, or an application form in the case of lay members.

Specialist committee members are selected from the membership of relevant guidance development groups, and always include a lay member. The appointment of specialist committee members for each topic will be agreed by the NICE quality standards team in liaison with the guidance producing centre and QSAC chair if necessary. They are appointed for the duration of the quality standard development, and during this period they are full members of the QSAC with the same decision-making responsibilities. If it is not possible to appoint all roles from the relevant guidance development groups, additional open recruitment will take place via the NICE website.

2.1.2 Declarations of interest

Members, both standing and specialist, and chairs of the QSACs are required to act according to NICE's policy on declaring and managing interests.

2.1.3 How invited topic expert advisers are identified

Topic expert advisers may be invited to attend QSAC meetings to provide expert testimony on variation of quality in practice in the topic area. Invited topic expert advisers may include national clinical leads, national policy leads and experts from national audit developers or national regulators (for example the Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership and the Care Quality Commission), professional specialist societies, the medical royal colleges, organisations representing people using services and carers, and commercial organisations.

Invited topic expert advisers may be identified by the QSAC specialist committee members and agreed with the QSAC chair and NICE project team. They will have experience of the topic area and up-to-date knowledge on issues related to the development of the quality standard, such as current practice or experience of using services.

2.2.1 Quality standards team

The quality standards team at NICE leads the development of quality standards and is responsible for:

The quality standards team is committed to improving practice and methods for developing quality standards. The processes and methods used are constantly being evaluated to improve them for future topics.

2.2.2 Accreditation team

NICE-accredited guidance can be used to support the development of quality standards. The team manages a programme to renew the accreditation status of accredited guidance and developers.

2.2.3 Public Involvement Programme

The Public Involvement Programme supports the recruitment of QSAC lay members, who bring the perspectives of people using services and carers to the QSAC's work. The Public Involvement Programme offers support and advice to the lay members during the quality standard development process. It also encourages organisations representing people using services, carer and community interests to register as stakeholders and comment during the topic engagement exercise and consultation stage of quality standard development.

2.2.4 Information services team

The information services team conducts literature searches on the topics referred for quality standard development as required. These are searches of relevant guidance, policy, audits and national reports that may help in the development, review and update of quality standards. Searches include a mix of websites and other sources. The selection of sources will vary according to the quality standard topic in development.

2.2.5 Resource impact assessment team

The resource impact assessment team considers the cost of implementing the changes needed to achieve the quality standard at a local level. The team identifies potential cost savings and highlights the areas of care or service provision in the quality standard that have potential implications for commissioners.

2.2.6 System support for implementation team

The implementation support team provides support to key audiences and organisations to maximise the uptake of guidance and quality standards. This is achieved by assessing the aids and barriers to implementation, and providing practical support tools for commissioning, service improvement and education and learning. Engagement with national bodies and local organisations supports the use and review of quality standards and facilitates shared learning.

2.2.7 Adoption and impact team

The adoption and impact team facilitates the adoption of selected medical and diagnostic technologies across the NHS. The team supports the development of bespoke adoption support and where possible clinical audit resources for developmental quality statements. They also produce reports on the uptake of guidance and quality standards.

2.2.8 Publishing team

The publishing team is responsible for ensuring that all quality standards publications are accurate, clear and consistent. The publishing team's editors review the draft and final versions of the quality standards.

2.2.9 External communications team

The external communications team is responsible for communicating and disseminating quality standards.