NICE is to root out ineffective treatments in NHS

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has been charged with purging from the NHS treatments that do not improve health or are poor value for money. The health minister Andy Burnham said guidance to address poor clinical practice will help make health services more equitable across the country and reduce ineffective practices. Any money saved will be ploughed back into the NHS for interventions that have been proved to work. NICE's guidance will apply to England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. “This is not about cutting services that benefit patients,” said Mr Burnham. “New drugs and treatments are continually emerging, and trusts have to make difficult decisions about how to invest funding. …