NICE process and methods
Terms used in this manual
Guidance
Evidence-based recommendations produced by NICE. There are 4 types of guidance:
-
guidelines covering clinical topics, medicines practice, public health and social care
-
health technologies guidance (this includes diagnostics guidance, medical technologies guidance and interventional procedures guidance)
-
technology appraisal guidance
-
highly specialised technologies guidance.
Routing
Decisions on what type of guidance NICE will produce.
Topic or topic area
Health and care issue or issues that require guidance on solutions. The solutions can be a medicine, a diagnostic, a medical technology, an interventional procedure, other interventions (for example, psychological therapy, rehabilitation therapy, exercise programme) or a combination of different interventions.