What we do
We assess the value of digital health technologies that offer the greatest potential to improve health and wellbeing.
A NICE approval gives developers the best chance of product adoption by the health and care system. Our endorsement adds credibility because of our high standards.
Contact usHow we can help you
We can help you to build the evidence you need to achieve market access and improve lives. Our aim is to improve patient access to the best digital health innovations.
Engage with us
Office for Digital Health
The Office for Digital Health strives to accelerate our efforts to deliver innovation to the health and care system.
We work with partners to identify topics, develop evidence standards and support digital health policy development.
Scientific advice service
Our scientific advice service offers support for developers of devices, diagnostics and digital technologies.
We can help you to develop evidence that shows the value of your technology. And we can provide feedback on your plans.
AI and digital regulations service
We have developed a new multi-agency advisory service for developers and adopters of artificial intelligence (AI) and other data driven technologies.
Visit our new website to find guidance on understanding regulations of AI and digital technology in health and social care.
Health technology assessment (HTA)
We evaluate digital health technologies through 4 guidance programmes:
- Technology appraisals guidance.
- Highly specialised technologies guidance.
- Medical technologies guidance.
- Diagnostics guidance.
The programme we use depends on the technology and its expected impact on health and social care spend. The Office for Digital Health can advise you about our programmes.
Use our evidence standards framework
The evidence standards framework for digital health technologies:
- sets out standards for the evidence needed to demonstrate a technology's value to the health and care system
- helps developers with evidence development, and decision makers who are considering commissioning a technology.
An updated version of the evidence standards framework will be published in June 2022. The current framework covers fixed artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms only. The new version will include consideration of adaptive AI algorithms.
Current projects
AI in Health and Care Award
The Artificial Intelligence (AI) Award is run by the Accelerated Access Collaborative (AAC). It aims to accelerate the testing and evalution of the most promising AI technologies.
We're supporting developers of digital health technologies selected for phase 4 of the award.
Classification of AI
We're working with academic and strategic partners to consider the implication of AI classification on:
- evidence requirements
- evaluation methods for HTA.
Exploring system priorities
We're working with NHSX to explore:
- improvements to our horizon scanning capability
- greater alignment of our guidance to system priorities
- how the Digital Technology Assessment Criteria might be adopted and used by the system.
Case study: Reveal LINQ - a digital health developer’s journey through NICE
Learn about an innovative technology that we recommended, which has since achieved national uptake in the NHS.
Find out moreLatest news
Find out how NICE is supporting digital health.
- Case study: Zio XT - From NICE digital health pilot to AI Award winner (March 2022).
- Case study: HeartFlow’s journey from NICE guidance to MedTech Funding Mandate (February 2022).
- New collaboration between us and the Academic Health Science Network will help embed innovations into the healthcare system for the benefit of patients (August 2021).
- Supporting innovation: Our role in establishing clear approval pathways and evidence standards for artificial intelligence-driven digital health technologies (June 2021).
- A refreshed evidence standards framework for digital health technologies and an increased focus on digital health for NICE (May 2021).
- We are gearing up for the evaluation of further digital health technologies as pilot project produces first result (January 2021).
We're changing how we work to make sure we can anticipate and quickly evaluate new and emerging digital health technologies. Watch our video to find out more.