The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) provides guidance, sets quality standards and manages a national database to improve people's health and prevent and treat ill health.
Read more about who we are.

NICE makes recommendations to the NHS on:

• new and existing medicines, treatments and procedures
• treating and caring for people with specific diseases and conditions.

NICE makes recommendations to the NHS, local authorities and other organisations in the public, private, voluntary and community sectors on:

• how to improve people's health and prevent illness and disease.

Using NICE guidance may help you cut costs while at the same time maintaining and even improving services.

See all NICE guidance and read about how we develop guidance.

NHS Evidence

NHS Evidence is a Google-style device that allows NHS staff to search the Internet for up-to-date evidence of effectiveness and examples of best practice in relation to health and social care.

Quality standards

NICE is developing and defining the standards of healthcare that people can expect to receive. These standards will indicate when a clinical treatment (or set of clinical procedures) is considered highly effective, cost effective and safe, as well as being viewed as a positive experience by patients.

Quality and outcomes framework (QOF)

NICE oversees the development of indicators used to show that GPs should be rewarded for providing good quality clinical care and for helping to improve people's health. These indicators are part of the quality and outcomes framework (QOF), a voluntary incentive scheme for GP practices in the UK.

Fellows and scholars programme

Our fellow and scholars programme provides NHS health professionals with the opportunity to gain invaluable experience working with NICE.

Scientific advice consultancy service

NICE offers advice to pharmaceutical companies and medical device manufacturers on products that may be assessed using our technology appraisal process.

International

Our international division provides advice to other countries on how to ensure their health practices are as effective and cost effective as possible.

Read more about what we do.

How we work

NICE works with experts from the NHS, local authorities and others in the public, private, voluntary and community sectors - as well as patients and carers. We make independent decisions in an open, transparent way, based on the best available evidence and including input from experts and interested parties.

Read more about how we work.

Any questions?

We have answered some of the most frequently asked questions about NICE.