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The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has been chosen by the Department of Health from over 120 applications to participate in the testing phase of a new scheme to ensure good quality information across the health and social care sector.

The information accreditation scheme will combat substantial variation in the quality of health and social care information available and will provide a way for the public and professionals to know that the information they are using is reliable.

It will also support information producers in raising general standards and will be focused at the organisation level, accrediting the source of information rather than the information itself.

NICE will be testing the scheme alongside other organisations from the commercial, public and voluntary sectors. Subject to achieving certification through this testing phase, NICE will become one of the first scheme members when it launches in 2009.

Ann Keen MP, the parliamentary under-secretary for health services, said: "There is so much information out there that it's hard for people, both the public and professionals, to know what can be relied upon. A scheme with a recognisable quality mark, will assure them that information is from a dependable source.

"Over 120 applications were received by the Department of Health, and NICE is one of just 40 organisations to have successfully made it through the application process. The work of these test organisations will be invaluable in providing knowledge and insight for organisations who are considering joining the scheme in the future."

As part of the testing phase NICE will be involved in:

- testing the scheme standard
- sharing experiences in order to support the development of case studies
- helping to develop the visual identity of the quality mark

About the accreditation scheme

The information accreditation scheme will 'kite mark' organisations that produce health and social care information. The scheme will be focused at the organisation level - accrediting the source of information rather than the information itself - through certification against a national Standard. The public would be reassured through a recognisable quality mark. This enables the scheme to have a broad impact as it can be used to mark information in any format - from websites to pamphlets. For further details on the scheme please visit: http://www.dh.gov.uk/accreditation.

"People need to be supported to make better decisions about their own health and welfare because there are widespread, systematic barriers to decision making. These failures include a lack of full information�" (Wanless, D., 2004, Securing Good Health for the Whole Population, HM Treasury)

"We must continue to empower patients with greater choice, better information, and more control and influence." (High Quality Care for All: NHS Next Stage Review Final Report 2008)

Preliminary research was undertaken into an information accreditation scheme and information specialists surveyed anticipated several benefits:

a. improved information quality
b. increased revenue for information providers
c. enhanced trust in the information from health professionals
d. greater use of the materials by the people who use health and social care services and the public
e. improved public image for the information producers
f. wider recognition of best practice. (Coulter, A. %26 Ellins, J., 2006, Patient-focused interventions: A review of the evidence, Picker Institute Europe)

NHS Direct will be overseeing the testing phase on behalf of the Department of Health. Once the scheme is launched in 2009, it will be run by an independent scheme owner. The scheme owner is being procured this year through an open procurement process.

The scheme is based on rigorous community-built standards for information producers. It will establish certification and testing procedures that will help information producers become accredited. The scheme will also provide support for information producers across the public, voluntary and commercial sectors in their efforts to achieve and maintain accreditation.

The scheme standard has been developed through engaging with accreditation experts, organisations involved in standards development and information producers.

About NICE

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) is the independent organisation responsible for providing national guidance on the promotion of good health and the prevention and treatment of ill health.

NICE produces guidance in three areas of health:

- public health - guidance on the promotion of good health and the prevention of ill health for those working in the NHS, local authorities and the wider public and voluntary sector