The National Clinical Effectiveness Committee (NCEC) was established as part of the Patient Safety First Initiative. The NCEC is a partnership between key stakeholders in patient safety. NCEC’s mission is to provide a framework for national endorsement of clinical guidelines and audit to optimise patient and service user care. The NCEC has a remit to establish and implement processes for the prioritisation and quality assurance of clinical guidelines and clinical audit so as to recommend them to the Minister for Health to become part of a suite of National Clinical Guidelines and National Clinical Audit.
The aim of the suite of National Clinical Guidelines is to provide guidance and standards for improving the quality, safety and cost-effectiveness of healthcare in Ireland. The implementation of these National Clinical Guidelines will support the provision of evidence-based and consistent care across Irish healthcare services.
NCEC Terms of Reference
1. Provide strategic leadership for the national clinical effectiveness agenda.
2. Contribute to national patient safety and quality improvement agendas.
3. Publish standards for clinical practice guidance.
4. Publish guidance for National Clinical Guidelines and National Clinical Audit.
5. Prioritise and quality assure National Clinical Guidelines and National Clinical Audit.
6. Commission National Clinical Guidelines and National Clinical Audit.
7. Align National Clinical Guidelines and National Clinical Audit with implementation levers.
8. Report periodically on the implementation and impact of National Clinical Guidelines and the performance of National Clinical Audit.
9. Establish sub-committees for NCEC workstreams.
10. Publish an Annual Report.
In response to the HIQA Patient Safety Investigation Report into Services at University Hospital Galway (2013), the NCEC was requested by the Minister for Health to commission and quality assure a number of National Clinical Guidelines. The National Clinical Guideline for Communication (Clinical Handover) in Acute and Children’s Hospital Services is one of these guidelines.
The National Clinical Guideline for Communication (Clinical Handover) in Acute and Children’s Hospital Services has been quality assured by NCEC and endorsed by the Minister for Health for implementation in the Irish health system.
Information on the NCEC and endorsed National Clinical Guidelines is available at
www.health.gov.ie/patient-safety/ncec.