The guidelines manual

A2 Participation in NICE guidelines: confidentiality acknowledgement and undertaking

Please complete the sections below and return by email to: [insert NCC email]

If email is not possible, please return by fax to: [insert NCC fax no.]

This agreement covers all those who have sight of documents, or are party to discussions, relating to a guideline before public consultation. This includes members of the Guideline Development Group (GDG), invited external experts, observers and participants in consensus exercises. Staff of National Collaborating Centres (NCCs) are covered by the contracts between NICE and the NCCs.

1) I undertake to NICE that I shall:

(a) keep all confidential information strictly confidential

(b) not use any confidential information for any purpose other than participating in the deliberations of the GDG (for GDG members and external experts)

(c) not disclose any confidential information to any third party without the prior written consent of NICE

(d) not disclose the deliberations of a GDG to any other person without the explicit consent of the Chair of the GDG and the Director of the NCC.

2) The undertakings set out in paragraph 1 above ('the undertakings') shall not apply to the use or disclosure of information that:

(a) at or after the time of disclosure or acquisition is in the public domain in the form supplied otherwise than through a breach of any of the undertakings; or

(b) was lawfully within my possession before its disclosure to me by NICE, provided that the source of such information was not bound by, or subject to, a confidentiality agreement with NICE; or

(c) I am required to disclose by any court of competent jurisdiction or any government agency lawfully requesting the same, provided that I notify NICE in advance of such disclosure; or

(d) is approved for release by prior written authorisation from NICE.

Signed .…………………………………….…………………..Date ………………..

Print name ……………………………………………………………………………

Data Protection. The personal data submitted on this form will be used by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence for work on its Guidelines Programme and will be held on the Institute's databases for future reference and in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998.