NPC to be merged with NICE

Department of Health (DH) ministers have approved a forthcoming merger between the National Prescribing Centre (NPC) and the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE).

A statement from the Liverpool-based NPC has confirmed that the body's work and operations are to be integrated with NICE, building on the long-term collaboration between the two organisations.

This move follows discussions between DH ministers and the NPC's management team on how best to reorganise the body as part of reforms outlined in the recent NHS white paper.

The NPC said: "We believe integration will further strengthen our work to support the NHS to improve quality, safety and value for money in the use of medicines for the benefit of patients and the public."

Detailed discussions will now take place over the logistics of the planned change, which is expected to be implemented from April 2011 onwards.

The merger is likely to strengthen the influence of NICE, which was established in 1999 and is based in offices in London and Manchester.