The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) has been given the go-ahead to begin developing clinical guidelines. The Secretary of State for Health and the National Assembly of Wales asked the institute to begin work on the programme on November 4.
The NICE has been asked to provide "robust and reliable guidance" to the NHS and patients on 11 therapeutic areas initially. The guidance will cover all aspects of clinical care, from self-care provided by the patient to that provided by health professionals in both hospital and the community.
"The institute's guidelines will be based on the best available evidence. They will take into account both the clinical and cost effectiveness of the measures that are recommended. They must be both practical and affordable," said Professor Sir Michael Rawlins (chairman of the NICE).
The therapeutic areas specified are non-insulin dependent diabetes, management of schizophrenia, the national cancer group programme, prevention and treatment of pressure sores, peptic ulcer and dyspepsia treatment, depressive illness in the community, management of acute and completed myocardial infarction in primary care, hypertension, routine pre-operative investigations and multiple sclerosis.