STRENGTH IN NUMBERS

NICE’s decision to keep its safe staffing guidance under lock and key raises several questions, and so far the reasons for the delay have been nebulous and without detail. HSJ calls on NICE, NHS England and the DH to publish it without delay

In the past few months the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence has coordinated work on what is likely to be the best assessment so far of how nurse numbers affect care quality in accident and emergency units. In the past few days, however, it has decided the resulting guidance will not be published, and will instead be kept under lock and key until an unspecified later date.

‘NICE’s U-turn could tarnish its international reputation for independence’

This is a bad decision for a number of reasons.

Questions about whether NICE was pressured into its U-turn from outside risk tarnishing the organisation’s international reputation for independence. The work is taxpayer funded and could potentially be used to plan services ahead of winter.

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Filed under: NHS