(Scottish equivalent: Scottish Health Technology Assessment Centre.) This special health authority in the National Health Service, launched in 1999, prepares formal advice for all managers and health professionals working in the service in England & Wales on the clinical value and cost-effectiveness of new and existing technologies.

NICE has four main functions:

• appraisal of new and existing technologies (including medicines and equipment).

• development of clinical guidelines which inform decision making by funders of healthcare and which are often adopted by individual healthcare trusts for their employees to take into account, with the expectation they would need to justify departures from them.

• promotion of clinical audit and confidential inquiries. Central to its task is public concern about ‘postcode prescribing’ – that is, different availability of health care according to geography.

• Provision of on-line access for health professionals to research literature