Developing HIV/AIDS Treatment Guidelines (UNAIDS, 1999, 43 p.): Part 2: Developing valid HIV/AIDS guidelines: Steps in developing HIV/AIDS treatment guidelines: 12. Workplan for guideline development

Developing HIV/AIDS Treatment Guidelines (UNAIDS, 1999, 43 p.)

Part 2: Developing valid HIV/AIDS guidelines

Steps in developing HIV/AIDS treatment guidelines

		1. Target groups and type of guideline
		2. Stakeholder mapping exercise
		3. Setting up a guideline development committee
		4. Role of the committee members
		5. Guideline scope
		6. Identifying and applying scientific evidence
		7. Methods of establishing consensus
		8. Deriving recommendations
		9. Drafting guidelines
		10. Involving external reviewers
		11. Disseminating and implementing guidelines
		12. Workplan for guideline development
		13. Budgeting for guideline development
		14. Public policy implications of HIV/AIDS treatment guidelines

12. Workplan for guideline development

Getting a timeframe agreed upon by all the interested parties and the committee members requires considerable planning and timetabling. This timeframe would include details of the activities to be conducted and the individuals and institutions responsible for those activities. Deadlines for the review of evidence and draft documents should also be included. A simple implementation plan can be developed to help guide the process of guideline development and to show in a quick way the activities to be conducted and who is responsible. The plan covering the development of the guidelines could take up to a year to complete as the example below shows. This is based on the WHO guidelines for adapting HIV guidelines to country needs.

Model implementation plan

Month	Activity	Objective/Result	Group responsible*
0	Appoint guideline development committee	Committee in place with clear terms of reference	NACP, NEDP
1-2	Review existing literature	Scientific evidence identified	Guideline committee
3-4	Assess scientific evidence	Recommendations based on evidence synthesized	Guideline committee
5	Hold consensus workshop	Clinical guidelines drafted	MOH, NACP
6	Edit draft guidelines	Guidelines edited	Guideline committee
7-8	Field test	Guidelines finalized	NACP
9-10	Alter standard treatments	Guidelines included in national treatment guidelines	NACP, NEDP
11	Estimate drug supplementation	AIDS drugs quantified and costed	NEDP
12	Publish guidelines	National document	NACP, NEDP
13-14	Disseminate guidelines	Health facilities	NEDP, NACP
15-ongoing	Train in standardized treatment	Health care personnel	NEDP, NACP
16-ongoing	Purchase and supply drugs	Distribution to health centres	NEDP, MOH
17-ongoing	Monitor guideline and drug use	Feedback received on guideline use and drug utilization	NEDP

*NACP: National AIDS Control Programme
*NEDP: National Essential Drugs Programme
*MOH: Ministry of Health