The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has launched its first consultation on potential indicators for the proposed 2013/14 Commissioning Outcomes Framework (COF). Comments are invited on 120 indicators, which cover a broad range of topics, including mental health, cancer and asthma.

The COF will hold Clinical Commissioning Groups to account for the quality and outcomes of the services they commission.  NICE will play a central role in this process by developing an annual list of indicators.

After the consultation closes the COF Advisory Committee at NICE will recommend a set of indicators and publish this advice on its website. The NHS Commissioning Board will decide on the final set of indicators for the 2013/14 Commissioning Outcomes Framework in the Autumn.

The consultation will run for four weeks, closing on Wednesday 29 February 2012.   Full details of the consultation are available on the NICE website.

The Commissioning Outcomes Framework engagement document, published in November 2011, can also be seen here.