NICE gives green light to balloon catheter, in first medical technology guidance

NICE has approved the use of a balloon catheter for use in coronary artery surgery, in the first ever piece of guidance from its new medical technology programme. Listen to a podcast explaining the use of the ballon catheter.

More patients with vascular disease to benefit from clopidogrel use  

GPs will now be able to prescribe clopidogrel for the prevention of vascular events in patients who have had a previous stroke or have peripheral arterial disease, as NICE  widens use of this drug. The guidance also recommends dipyridamole plus aspirin for certain patients.

Local authorities placed "right at the forefront" of public health

Local authorities will be handed control of commissioning public health services from a new ring-fenced budget, under plans set out in the government's public health white paper.

To help support local authorities and oversee national issues, such as childhood immunisation programmes, screening and nutrition, a new dedicated public health service - Public Health England - will be created.

The Local Face of NICE

NICE's team of implementation consultants travel the length and breadth of England providing advice and updates for healthcare professionals and those working in local authorites. They can help teams identify and successfully follow NICE guidance, help with problem solving by sharing examples of best practice, and offer staff the chance to air their views on the work  that NICE is doing.

New commissioning guide on biologic drugs for inflammatory disease

A new commissioning  guide on biologic drugs for the treatment of inflammatory disease in rheumatology, dermatology and gastroenterology is the first  to be based on  technology appraisal recommendations.

A commissioning guide on quitting smoking in pregnancy and after childbirth is also out now, along with a guide on paediatric continence on the 22^nd December.  

Tell us what you think about the use of the MoorLDI2-BI laser doppler blood flow imager for burn wound assessment. Should this new technology be offered on the NHS in England?

Have your say on draft guidance recommending rituximab as a first-line maintenance treatment for certain patients with advanced follicular non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Any feedback received will be considered before the next version of draft guidance is issued.

Tell us your story

Tell us your story of putting NICE guidance into practice and you could be in with a chance of presenting your work at the NICE Annual Conference 2011. Click here for more details.

Open abdomen audit  

Submit data here on patients who have an open abdomen (laparostomy) where the gut and other intraperitoneal organs are exposed and are inpatients between 1 January 2010 and 30 June 2011.