Current Work Programme

This table shows SIGN's current work programme. It includes new guidelines that are in development and published guidelines that are in the process of being updated. The timescales are provisional and will be revised quarterly. The table was last updated in August 2009.

Draft versions of guidelines which are currently under development or review are only available for download from the date of the National Meeting for a period of 4 weeks. These are made available as part of the open consultation process and comments are invited from any reader.

The Guideline Programme Summary is also available as a PDFfile. (2.15M) (info).

SIGN Guideline Development Programme Winter 2009
This is a list of the guidelines that are being developed or updated by the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network. The list is available by topic or by estimated publication date.
Guidelines by topic
Cancer
Topic	Status	Remit	Estimated publication date
Germ cell tumours	Update in progress	The current guideline is being updated with the latest evidence.	Summer 2010
Colorectal cancer	Update planned	The current guideline will be updated to incorporate new evidence on radiotherapy for rectal cancer, adjuvant chemotherapy for colorectal cancer, perioperative chemotherapy for patients with liver metastases, the use of new biological agents, new evidence in terms of lifestyle factors and chemoprevention.	Summer 2011
Breast cancer	Update planned	The current guideline will be updated to incorporate new evidence on antibiotics, pre-operative chemotherapy, surgery, radiotherapy, systemic therapy.	Summer 2011
Long term cancer survivors	Planned	Develop a new guideline on the follow up of patients who have survived cancer and whose risk of relapse is less than their risk from side effects of treatment.	Summer 2012
CVD/Stroke/Diabetes
Diabetes	Update in progress	The current guideline is being updated to incorporate new evidence in the following areas: type 1 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, drug therapy for type 2 diabetes, foot disease, lifestyle, pregnancy, renal disease and retinopathy	Spring 2010
Stroke rehabilitation	Update in progress	The current guideline is being updated with the latest evidence on rehabilitation following acute stroke; complications of acute stroke; discharge planning and the management of stroke services.	Summer 2010
Child health
Obesity in adults & children	Update in progress	The current guidelines will be completely updated and will identify strategies for primary health care, community management and the role of prevention.	Spring 2010
Sore throat	Update in progress	The current guideline is being updated to present new evidence for the diagnosis and management of sore throat and indications for tonsillectomy.	Spring 2010
Asthma	Update in progress	The guideline is being updated to incorporate new evidence for the sections on pharmacology, monitoring and control and management in adolescence.	Summer 2011
Prevention of dental caries in children	Update planned	A selective update and combining of the existing dental caries guidelines for children. I’ve received quite convincing feedback from Daffyd Evans suggesting a full review of these guidelines is needed	Summer 2011
Dentistry
Prevention of dental caries in children	Update planned	A selective update and combining of the existing dental caries guidelines for children. As above	Summer 2011
Long term conditions
Asthma	Update in progress	The guideline is being updated to incorporate new evidence for the sections on pharmacology, monitoring and control and management in adolescence.	Summer 2011
Psoriasis & psoriatic arthritis	In development	Develop a new guideline on the management of cutaneous and articular manifestations of these common chronic diseases in both primary and secondary care.	Winter 2010
Atopic eczema	In development	Develop a new guideline that will address the management of atopic dermatitis in both children and adults in primary care, as well as some aspects of secondary care such as phototherapy and systemic immunosuppression.	Winter 2010
Rehabilitation and long term care of patients with head injury	Planned	Develop a guideline that covers referral of patients from acute or primary care to specialist services, post-acute management of patients with a head injury who are in hospital, ie beyond the first 72 hours and assessment of rehabilitation needs.	Summer 2012
Mental health
Non-pharmacological management of depression	In development	Develop a guideline for the non-pharmacological management of mild to moderate depression in adults in primary care.	Spring 2010
Postnatal depression	Update in progress	The current guideline is being updated to incorporate new evidence for medication, psychological interventions, service developments, the implications of the mental health act 2003 and the role of managed clinical networks.	Winter 2010
Schizophrenia	Update planned	The existing guideline will be completely updated to cover the pharmacological and non-pharmacological management of schizophrenia and related psychoses (as defined by ICD-10), spanning both primary and secondary care. The guideline will cover the management of co-morbidities, in particular, substance misuse.	Summer 2012
Orthopaedics
Early rheumatoid arthritis	Update in progress	The current guideline is being updated with the latest evidence.	Summer 2010
Osteoporosis	Update planned	The current guideline will be completely updated to incorporate the significant advances in the management of this condition, including the arrival of new treatments.	Autumn 2012
Other vascular diseases
Venous thromboembolism (VTE)	Update in progress	The current guideline is being updated to include the latest evidence on the diagnosis and treatment of patients with suspected (symptomatic) DVT/ PE, in both primary and secondary care.	Winter 2010
Antithrombotic therapy	Update in progress	The current guideline is being updated to include the latest evidence.	Winter 2010
Leg ulcer	Update in progress	The current guideline is being updated to present new evidence for the assessment, treatment and care of patients with chronic leg ulcer and secondary prevention.	Summer 2010
Respiratory medicine
Sore throat	Update in progress	The current guideline is being updated to present new evidence for the diagnosis and management of sore throat and indications for tonsillectomy.	Spring 2010
Asthma	Update in progress	The guideline is being updated to incorporate new evidence for the sections on pharmacology, monitoring and control and management in adolescence.	Summer 2011

Guidelines by estimated publication date
Topic	Status	Remit	Estimated publication date
2010
Non-pharmacological management of depression	In development	Develop a guideline for the non-pharmacological management of mild to moderate depression in adults in primary care.	Spring 2010
Obesity in adults & children	Update in progress	The current guidelines will be completely updated and will identify strategies for primary health care, community management and the role of prevention.	Spring 2010
Diabetes	Update in progress	The current guideline is being updated to incorporate new evidence in the following areas: children and young people, cardiovascular disease, drug therapy, foot disease, lifestyle, pregnancy, renal disease and retinopathy As above	Spring 2010
Sore throat	Update in progress	The current guideline is being updated to present new evidence for the diagnosis and management of sore throat and indications for tonsillectomy.	Spring 2010
Leg ulcer	Update in progress	The current guideline is being updated to present new evidence for the assessment, treatment and care of patients with chronic leg ulcer and secondary prevention.	Summer 2010
Germ cell tumours	Update in progress	The current guideline is being updated with the latest evidence.	Summer 2010
Stroke rehabilitation	Update in progress	The current guideline is being updated with the latest evidence on rehabilitation following acute stroke; complications of acute stroke; discharge planning and the management of stroke services.	Summer 2010
Early rheumatoid arthritis	Update in progress	The current guideline is being updated with the latest evidence.	Summer 2010
Psoriasis & psoriatic arthritis	In development	Develop a new guideline on the management of cutaneous and articular manifestations of these common chronic diseases in both primary and secondary care.	Winter 2010
Atopic eczema	In development	Develop a new guideline that will address the management of atopic dermatitis in both children and adults in primary care, as well as some aspects of secondary care such as phototherapy and systemic immunosuppression.	Winter 2010
Postnatal depression	Update in progress	The current guideline is being updated to incorporate new evidence for medication, psychological interventions, service developments, the implications of the mental health act 2003 and the role of managed clinical networks.	Winter 2010
Venous thromboembolism (VTE)	Update in progress	The current guideline is being updated to include the latest evidence on the diagnosis and treatment of patients with suspected (symptomatic) DVT/ PE, in both primary and secondary care.	Winter 2010
Antithrombotic therapy	Update in progress	The current guideline is being updated to include the latest evidence.	Winter 2010
2011
Colorectal cancer	Update planned	The current guideline will be updated to incorporate new evidence on radiotherapy for rectal cancer, adjuvant chemotherapy for colorectal cancer, perioperative chemotherapy for patients with liver metastases, the use of new biological agents, new evidence in terms of lifestyle factors and chemoprevention.	Summer 2011
Breast cancer	Update planned	The current guideline will be updated to incorporate new evidence on antibiotics, pre-operative chemotherapy, surgery, radiotherapy, systemic therapy.	Summer 2011
Prevention of dental caries in children	Update planned	A selective update and combining of the existing dental caries guidelines for children. As above	Summer 2011
Asthma	Update in progress	The guideline is being updated to incorporate new evidence for the sections on pharmacology, monitoring and control and management in adolescence.	Summer 2011
2012
Long term cancer survivors	Planned	Develop a new guideline on the follow up of patients who have survived cancer and whose risk of relapse is less than their risk from side effects of treatment.	Summer 2012
Rehabilitation and long term care of patients with head injury	Planned	Develop a guideline that covers referral of patients from acute or primary care to specialist services, post-acute management of patients with a head injury who are in hospital, ie beyond the first 72 hours and assessment of rehabilitation needs.	Summer 2012
Schizophrenia	Update planned	The existing guideline will be completely updated to cover the pharmacological and non-pharmacological management of schizophrenia and related psychoses (as defined by ICD-10), spanning both primary and secondary care. The guideline will cover the management of co-morbidities, in particular, substance misuse.	Summer 2012
Osteoporosis	Update planned	The current guideline will be completely updated to incorporate the significant advances in the management of this condition, including the arrival of new treatments.	Autumn 2012