04 December 2019


The Standards, Audit and Guidelines Working Group (SAGWG) welcomes suggestions for new evidence-based guidelines from our membership and the wider rheumatology community.


Suggestions are considered at an annual meeting in September/October, and are due by 31 August. The guideline development process has been accredited by NICE. This recognises organisations that demonstrate high standards in producing health or social care guidance. All users of our accredited guidance can be confident in the quality of the final guidance documents.


Topics normally fall into one or more of the following categories:


  • Where there is clinical uncertainty as evidenced by wide variation in practice or outcomes

  • Where there’s a condition where treatment is proven but mortality or morbidity can be reduced

  • It's an area NICE or other guide producer are unlikely to cover


To help you format your submission, please follow these points. Each proposal should include:


  • A short title and the specific objective(s) for the proposed guideline

  • An overview (two pages) of the topic that highlight relevant background information (with key supporting references)


Each proposal should address the following:


  • Is the burden/importance of the condition/health care intervention large enough to warrant guideline development? Please provide some estimate of the burden (e.g., incidence, prevalence, costs)

  • Is there uncertainty or controversy about the relative effectiveness of the available clinical strategies for the condition(s) for which a guideline is proposed? Please provide some examples/assessment of this uncertainty

  • Is there perceived or documented variation in practice in the management of a given condition or use of a particular healthcare intervention? Please provide some assessment/references related to significant differences in practice patterns

  • Is there sufficient scientific evidence of good quality to allow development of a guideline? Please provide some references, in particular, randomised controlled studies, to support the development of systematic reviews and analysis of the topic

  • Are there existing guidelines on the proposed topic? If a guideline were to be developed, assuming appropriate dissemination, do you believe that it would make a significant impact on clinical decision-making/clinical outcomes and/or reduce practice variation?


Questions reprinted/adapted with permission. ©2013 American Society of Clinical Oncology. All rights reserved