Systematically developed statements which assist clinicians and patients to decide on appropriate treatments for specific conditions. Guidelines are attractive to health managers and patients because they are potentially able to reduce the chance of an individual team's poor clinical practice. This helps to ensure that patients receive the right treatment of an acceptable standard. In England & Wales, the NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR HEALTH AND CARE EXCELLENCE (NICE) develops national guidelines, which individual NHS Trusts are expected to adopt or adapt for local use. Some doctors have reservations about guidelines because (1) health-care managers might use them primarily to contain costs; (2) inflexibility might discourage clinical innovations; (3) they could encourage litigation by patients although the Courts have made it clear that guidelines are not mandatory although clinicians are likely to be asked to justify why they have not followed them. (See also CARE QUALITY COMMISSION; MEDICAL LITIGATION.)