Launch of 1st National Clinical Guideline

On 18th February, 2013 the Minister for Health, Dr James Reilly T.D. launched an important new patient safety initiative - the first National Clinical Guideline - the National Early Warning Score for Ireland. National Clinical Guidelines will help to further improve the quality, safety and cost effectiveness of healthcare across Ireland.  To view the new Guideline go to the link below. 

This National Clinical Guideline : National Early Warning Score clearly sets out how to recognise and respond to patients whose condition is deteriorating.  This guideline has been designed for adults in acute hospitals and is based on international evidence of what is known to work best.

First National Clinical Guideline: National Early Warning Score

Full Text of National Clinical Guideline

Slides of the Presentation from the Launch

Press Release

National Clinical Effectiveness Committee (NCEC)

The NCEC is a national committee, established in late 2010.  The aim of the committee is to provide a framework for national endorsement of clincal guidelines and audit to optimise patient care, within the Irish health system, both public and private. 

Terms of reference of the NCEC

• Apply criteria for the prioritisation of clinical guidelines and audit for the Irish health system.

• Apply criteria for quality assurance of clinical guidelines and audit for the Irish health system.

• Disseminate a template on how a clinical guideline and audit should be structured, how audit will be linked to the clinical guideline and how and with what methodology it should be pursued.

• Recommend clinical guidelines and national audit, which have been quality assured against these criteria, for Ministerial endorsement within the Irish health system.

• Facilitate with other agencies the dissemination of endorsed clinical guidelines and audit outcomes to front-line staff and to the public in an appropriate format.

• Report periodically on the implementation of endorsed clinical guidelines.

Vision and Mission of the NCEC

The vision is that of the Commission on Patient Safety and Quality Assurance, i.e. “Knowledgeable patients receiving safe and effective care from skilled professionals in appropriate environments with assessed outcomes.” 

The mission of the NCEC in supporting this vision is to “Provide a framework for national endorsement clinical guidelines and audit to optimise patient care.” 

When the NCEC was established by the Minister, every effort was made to ensure wide representation from a range of healthcare stakeholders as well as members of the public. 

Membership of the NCEC

When the NCEC was established by the Minister, every effort was made to ensure wide representation from a range of healthcare stakeholders as well as members of the public.