The functions of NICE, as described in its terms of reference[340], are as follows:

b)  to appraise the clinical benefits and the costs of such health care interventions as may be notified by the Secretary of State and to make recommendations;

c)  to develop guidelines providing advice on good practice in the management of such diseases and conditions as may be notified by the Secretary of State;

d)  to provide such information and instruction on the implementation of the recommendations and guidelines referred to in sub- paragraphs (a) and (b) above to persons employed in activities connected with the health service as may be conducive to their efficiency in relation to such employment;

e)  to include in the recommendations and guidelines referred to in sub-paragraphs (a) and (b) above guidance on clinical audit criteria;

f)  to disseminate, as appropriate and via an appropriate range of media, such recommendations and guidelines referred to in sub-paragraphs (a) and (b) above to the health service and to the general public;

g)  to look into and consider, for the purpose of advising the Secretary of State with regard to possible improvements in the provision of health services and in the effective use of available resources, such other matters as may be notified by the Secretary of State;

h)  to provide information on medicines and prescribing through the National Prescribing Centre (a);

i)  to consider all interventional procedures notified to the Institute;

j)  to identify any interventional procedure notified to the Institute for which an assessment by the Institute as to whether it is safe and efficacious for use in the health service is unnecessary;

k)  to identify any interventional procedure notified to the Institute that does not fall within sub-paragraph (b) for which a comprehensive review of the evidence is required to enable the Institute to evaluate the procedure in accordance with sub-paragraph (e);

l)  to assess the extent to which any interventional procedure notified to the Institute that does not fall within either of sub-paragraphs (h) or (i) is safe and efficacious for use in the health service and to issue guidance to the health service on the use of such a procedure;

m)  to evaluate the safety and efficacy of any interventional procedure identified under sub-paragraph (j) for the purposes of use in the health service and to issue guidance to the health service on the use of such a procedure.

Regarding public health…

a)  to develop, maintain and disseminate an evidence-base for effective public health action on health improvement and the reduction of inequalities in health in line with the Secretary of State's priorities for health as notified from time to time;

b)  to provide guidance on the development and setting of standards for public health and health promotion programmes and practice and support their implementation;

c)  to provide guidance on the means for improving the capability and capacity of organisations, systems and the wider public health workforce to deliver health improvement and reduce inequalities in health;

d)  to advise and assist in relation to such other matters as may be notified by the Secretary of State from time to time;

e)  to disseminate, as appropriate and via an appropriate range of media, the guidance referred to in sub-paragraphs (b) and (c) above.[341]

341   For the purpose of this direction "to evaluate" in sub-paragraph (l) shall include a comprehensive analysis of the available academic and clinical evidence and the collection and analysis of any new clinical data that may be made available by the health service. Back