WIREDGOV

NICE is to develop a library of public health quality standards, in areas ranging from heatwave planning to sexual health, and is inviting stakeholders to comment on exactly which topics should be referred to NICE to develop.

NICE quality standards describe high-priority areas for quality improvement in a defined care or service area. They are derived either from NICE guidance or NICE accredited sources, and apply right across the NHS, social care and public health in England.

In April 2013 Lord Howe, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Quality at the Department of Health, announced that NICE, working with experts from Public Health England, will develop new quality standards as part of a public health quality standard programme. Three topics have already been referred to NICE for development: reducing tobacco use in the community; preventing harmful alcohol use; and strategies to prevent obesity in adults and children.

NICE has been producing public health guidelines since 2006. The public health quality standards will be a valuable additional tool for local authorities who have been responsible for providing public health services since April 2013. The addition of public health quality standards to NICE's portfolio will mean that for the first time, the quality standards programme will bridge the interface with health, social care and public health, helping to support integration across the three sectors.

"These public health quality standards provide us with a golden opportunity to look across the spectrum of health, public health and social care," said Professor Mike Kelly, Director of the Centre for Public Health at NICE. "It will enable us to provide clarity to those commissioning or providing services - and those using them - about what high quality public health should look like, and allow us to support the integrated development of services covering all of these sectors."

NICE has published over 40 quality standards in health and social care, some of which address areas of public health concern, such as drug use disorders. The proposed library of public health quality standards will be integrated into the current quality standards programme.

During the consultation, which runs until the 20 December, NICE wants to hear from stakeholders on these potential topics to help improve the quality of public health. Where there are no existing relevant guidelines, the topic list will inform the development of future guidelines.

Speaking in April when the first public health topics were referred to NICE, Lord Howe said "NICE quality standards are at the centre of the government's plans to drive quality improvement. The expansion of NICE quality standards to public health complements the work that NICE is already doing on quality standards for the NHS and social care. They will be an important tool for local authorities and Public Health England and will help to support integration across health, social care and public health."

Professor Kevin Fenton, Director of Health and Wellbeing at Public Health England, said: "Local authorities have a detailed understanding of their communities and are the natural leaders for local public health. I am certain that they will find these new quality standards extremely useful and will have views on potential topics to help improve the quality of public health. Public Health England continues to support them by providing evidence and knowledge on local health needs alongside practical and professional advice."

The full list of proposed topics can be found on theconsultation pages, and covers areas such as

• Tobacco
• Accident and injury prevention
• Violence
• Physical environment
• Oral Health
• Drugs
• Sexual health
• Mental health and well-being
• Skin cancer prevention
• Preventing sight loss
• Sexually transmitted infections
• Immunisation
• Infectious diseases
• Antibiotic management
• Emergency planning and resilience
• Environmental health
• Cross-cutting topics and those focused on different settings such as schools and the workplace, and specific population groups.