The National Clinical Guidelines Centre for
Acute and Chronic Conditions was formed on the 1st April 2009 by a
merger of the National Collaborating Centre for Primary Care with 3
other National Collaborating Centres – the National Collaborating
Centre for Chronic Conditions (hosted by the Royal College of
Physicians), the National Collaborating Centres for Acute Care
(hosted by the Royal College of Surgeons) and the National
Collaborating Centres for Nursing and Supportive Care (hosted by
the Royal College of Nursing).
The new centre is hosted by the Royal College
of Physicians and governance is provided by a board with
representatives from the four Royal Colleges who hosted the
original centres.
This is a great opportunity for GPs to have
more involvement across a wider spectrum of guideline topics
and work more closely with secondary care colleagues. GPs are
to be encouraged even more to contribute to the guideline
development process in terms of representation, commenting on draft
guidance and involvement in implementation. GPs wishing to
participate in this process should register
an interest in this work.
The National Collaborating Centre for Primary
Care (NCC-PC) was responsible for producing successful guidelines
for the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence
(NICE) on behalf of the College for 8 years. A mix of skilled
professionals including information scientists, research fellows,
health economists and project managers, led by Nancy Turnbull,
Chief Executive and Dr Norma O’Flynn, Clinical Director have
produced a series of high quality evidence-based guidelines across
a range of primary care topics.
Guidelines developed by the NCC-PC include the
first Type 2 Diabetes guidelines and Anxiety &
Familial Breast Cancer topics led by the former unit in ScHARR in
Sheffield headed by Prof. Alan Hutchinson; the Referral for
Suspected Cancer and Epilepsy topics developed by the Leicester
Unit under the leadership of Prof. Richard Baker and a large
selection of topics from the NCC centre in London – MI, Lipid
Modification, Familial Hypercholesterolaemia, CFS/ME, Postnatal
Care, Obesity and Medicines Adherence.
The College will continue to engage with NICE
through a number of other routes. As well as representation on the
Board of the new NCC. The RCGP will continue links with the
Implementation team at NICE and through representation on the new
NHS Evidence
Advisory Committee and the Quality and Outcomes Framework
Programme, which is transferring to NICE.
Details of completed frameworks, guidelines in progress,
and information on stakeholder registration can be found on
the NICE
website.