What's happening at NICE?

From 1 April 2013, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) will be re-established under the provisions of the Health and Social Care Act 2012. Although its name will change to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, its acronym--NICE--has been written into the face of the Act. The new NICE will continue to provide the full range of guidance and other products with which the Institute has become associated. It will, though, have enhanced responsibilities in the development of quality standards and in the introduction of value-based pricing. In addition, it will be responsible for producing guidance for social care (hence the change in its name) and associated quality standards. The changes to the structure of NICE will not change its relationship with the professions and we are confident that it will continue to be relevant to all those working in the National Health Service.