Behaviour changeImplementing NICE guidance

October 2007

NICE public health guidance 6

Benefits of implementing NICE guidance

Helps NHS organisations meet DH ‘Standards for better health’

Helps local authorities fulfil remit to promote economic, social and environmental wellbeing of communities

Helps organisations improve health and meet government indicators and targets to reduce health inequalities

Can help save money by identifying opportunities for disinvestment or re-directing resources

Provides a focus for local partnerships

What this presentation covers

Background

Recommended principles

Costs and savings

Resources from NICE

Background:why this guidance matters

• Major conditions such as cardiovascular disease, chronic lung disease, some cancers and type 2 diabetes are linked to people’s lifestyles and behaviours

• Practitioners and others working in the area need clear, evidence- based guidance on what works in different settings and for different population groups

Recommended principles

Principle 1: planning

Principle 2: social context

Principle 3: education and training

Principle 4: individuals

Principle 5: communities

Principle 6: populations

Principle 7: effectiveness

Principle 8: cost effectiveness

Planning

• Work in partnership with individuals, communities, organisations and populations to develop plans for the target audience based

on their needs and the challenges facing them

• Take people’s circumstances into account (especially the socioeconomic and cultural context)

• Prioritise evidence-based approaches that can be tailored and used at key times when people are likely to be open to change

Social context

• Identify and try to remove social, financial and environmental barriers to change

• Take into account the social and environmental context

• Support changes to the physical environment or the way services are delivered to help those who find it difficult (or who are not motivated) to change

Education and training

• Review current education and training practice in this area, and disinvest in approaches that lack supporting evidence

• Ensure practitioners and volunteers have fair and equal access to training and support

• Relevant national organisations should consider developing standards for these skills

Individuals

Select interventions that help people to:

• understand the consequences of their behaviour and feel positive about changing it to benefit their health

• make a personal commitment to health-enhancing behaviours by setting goals and sharing these goals with others

• plan change in easy steps and develop coping strategies to take account of social situations that may lead to relapse

Communities

Invest in approaches that:

• develop and maintain supportive social networks and relationships and build people’s resilience and skills

• promote and support positive relationships between children and their parents or carers

• help organisations and institutions to promote local participation in planning and delivering services and to participate in voluntary activities

• promote access to the financial and material resources needed to help people make changes to improve their health

Populations

• Use the needs and behaviours of the target population as the basis for all interventions and programmes

• Ensure population-based activities complement those delivered to individuals and communities

• Ensure population-based activities are assessed in terms of the risks, costs and benefits for all target groups

Effectiveness

• Ensure funding applications and project plans include specific provision for evaluation and monitoring

• Ensure appropriate process and outcome measures are used

Cost effectiveness

• Collect data for cost-effectiveness analysis, including quality of life measures

• When researching or evaluating interventions and programmes estimate the cost savings involved (for instance, the cost of primary prevention versus clinical treatment)

Costs and savings

• Some aspects, such as training and evaluation, will involve extra cost

• However, effective interventions should lead to cost savings within the NHS and other public sector organisations in the longer term

Access NICE guidance and other support tools online

Quick reference guide – a summary

NICE guidance – all of the recommendations

Costing statement

www.nice.org.uk/PH006