Setting priorities in healthcare has become a highly politicised activity. Traditionally it has been undertaken by government and the health professions but there is an increasing imperative to involve the public. The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has established a Citizens' Council as an attempt to capture the informed views of the public in shaping the Institute's social value judgements. Although, in the future, better ways of involving the public may emerge, NICE's approach represents one way in which ordinary citizens can engage in the process of prioritising healthcare.