This guidance looks at whether procedures are safe enough and work well enough for wider use in the NHS.
An interventional procedure is used for diagnosis or for treatment. It involves:
- making a cut or a hole to gain access to the inside of a patient's body
For example, carrying out an operation or inserting a tube into a blood vessel. - gaining access to a body cavity without cutting
For example, carrying out treatment inside the stomach using an instrument inserted via the mouth. - using electromagnetic radiation
For example, using a laser to treat eye problems.
Notify a procedure
Anyone can tell us about a procedure for consideration. We want to know if there are:
- new or not
well established procedures that you think we should develop guidance on - established procedures that need to be reviewed and updated.
Find guidance
We look at the safety of a procedure and whether it's effective for routine use.
Our guidance lets you incorporate procedures that could provide significant health benefits into clinical practice in a responsible way.
How we develop guidance
- Who makes decisions.
- A timeline of the process we use.
- In-depth information on the process we use in our programme manual.
About our recommendations
- The types we make.
- Where they apply.
- Whether they're mandatory.
Get involved
- Register for updates on guidance.
- Find out more about the advisory committee - including how to attend a meeting.
- Comment on draft recommendations.
Patients and carers
- How to contribute to the development of guidance.
- Versions of our guidance for patient and carers.
OPCS-4 codes
We use OPCS-4.7
OPCS codes, or a link to them, are displayed on the overview page of guidance.
Being monitored and out of remit
Procedures notified to us that are not currently suitable for guidance development.
Safely introduce new procedures into your practice
If an IPG exists, ensure that the procedure is done in accordance with the guidance.
If we haven't published an IPG for the procedure your organisation can still approve it as long as:
- the clinician has appropriate training and experience
- patients are made aware of the circumstances under which the procedure is being performed, and consent to this
- arrangements are made for data collection and clinical audit.