NICE has published a guide for commissioners of end-of-life care services to support them in designing high quality, evidence-based services to improve outcomes for patients and to help the NHS make better use of resources. The guide aims to support local implementation of the Department of Health (2008) End of Life Care Strategy and the NICE (2011) Quality Standard for end of life care for adults, and is aligned with the NHS Outcomes Framework and supports commissioning for Quality, Innovation, Productivity and Prevention (QIPP).

While the guide for commissioners draws on existing NICE recommendations, it does not constitute formal NICE guidance and is intended as a tool to help the NHS improve patient care through effective commissioning.