Guidance
We use the best available evidence to develop recommendations that guide decisions in health, public health and social care.
Published guidance on this topic (35)
- New guidance in the last 6 months (1)
- Updated guidance in the last 6 months (0)
- In development guidance (2)
NICE advice
Critical assessment of evidence to help you make decisions. Advice, rather than formal NICE guidance.
Published advice on this topic (15)
- New advice in the last 6 months (0)
- Updated advice in the last 6 months (0)
- In development advice (0)
Quality standards
Set out priority areas for quality improvement in health and social care.
Published quality standards on this topic (2)
- New quality standards in the last 6 months (0)
- Updated quality standards in the last 6 months (0)
- In development quality standards (0)
Guidance by programme
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NICE guidelines (32)
Review the evidence across broad health and social care topics.
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Technology appraisal guidance (1)
Reviews the clinical and cost-effectiveness of new treatments.
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Diagnostics guidance (1)
Review new diagnostic technologies for adoption in the NHS.
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Health technology evaluation (4)
Review evidence to support adoption of health technologies in the NHS.
Advice by programme
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Evidence summaries (8)
Review the best available evidence for selected medicines.
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Medtech innovation briefings (7)
Review the evidence and likely costs of medical devices and technologies.
Products being developed or updated
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In development (2)
Guidance, quality standards and advice being developed.
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Topic selection (1)
Guidance in topic selection.
Managing common infections summary
We've worked with Public Health England (PHE) to bring together our information on managing infections. New NICE guidance will be added as it's published. We'll also show where new guidance is in development.
Each organisation uses different processes to develop their guidance:
- the interim process guide outlines the process used to develop NICE guidelines
- PHE's process is briefly outlined in their context, references and rationales document with further information available on request.
This is the first time both sets of national guidance have been brought together. Please email us at infections@nice.org.uk if you have any feedback, This could help us improve future versions.
View the summary
From 01 June 2023, the summary will be temporarily hosted on the Antibiotic and diagnostic quick reference tools page of the Royal College of General Practitioners eLearning website.
Why is our guidance and advice needed?
The World Health Organization says 'antimicrobial resistance occurs when microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites change in ways that render the medications used to cure the infections they cause ineffective'.
Resistance to antimicrobials is complex and increasing. There is a growing risk that infections may not be treatable in the future, combined with a lack of new antimicrobial medicines.
The Department of Health and Social Care asked us to develop guidelines to help slow antimicrobial resistance. These guidelines are evidence-based and clinical syndrome specific.
When we as health professionals are discussing treatments for common infections with patients, it is important to talk about the benefits and harms of prescribing antibiotics. This includes the risks of antimicrobial resistance and the threat this poses to public health.Tessa Lewis, GP and Chair of the managing common infections advisory committee