New quality standards for public health are being developed by NICE, in a bid to tackle problems such as obesity and smoking.
NICE will publish four new standards aimed at preventing and managing obesity in children; preventing harmful alcohol use in the community; smoking: harm reduction and reducing tobacco use in the community.
The Department of Health has also asked NICE to develop over 70 further standards and associated guidelines to tackle the areas of growing burden on public health.
Professor Gillian Leng, deputy chief executive and director of health and social care at NICE, said: ‘These new quality standards will help people working in public health, health and social care to make decisions based on the latest evidence and best practice.
‘They will help providers assess their services and, where necessary, drive up their standards – across a wide range of public health challenges from infections linked to healthcare through to tackling domestic violence.’