NICE Bites is a monthly bulletin from the North west Medicines Information Centre which summarises key prescribing points from NICE guidance.
The aim of this publication is to provide healthcare professionals with a clear and succinct summary of key prescribing points taken from NICE guidance. It has emerged from collaboration with colleagues in primary care in response to a need for easily accessible information. We hope it will be a useful tool in the implementation of NICE recommendations. Each edition will highlight sections of NICE guidance which relate to prescribing and will cover recent guidance as well as a catch-up programme of previous guidance. It will cover the following:
Clinical Guidelines These are guidelines on the appropriate treatment and care of people with specific diseases and conditions and are based on the best available evidence.
Technology appraisals These are recommendations on the use of new and existing medicines and treatments within the NHS. It is important to bear in mind that technology appraisals carry a statutory obligation for CCGs to provide funding within 3 months of publication.
NICE recommendations are based on systematic reviews of the best available evidence. When minimal evidence is available recommendations are based on the guideline development group’s opinion of what constitutes good practice. For a complete review of each topic please refer to the full NICE guidance which can be accessed at www.nice.org.uk. Healthcare professionals in England are expected to take NICE guidance fully into account when exercising their clinical judgement however, it does not replace their knowledge and skills.
