Clinical guideline development

We developed 36 NICE mental health guidelines between 2001 and 2016 (see below). Our guidelines have been translated and adopted/adapted by other public healthcare systems, including in Italy, Australia and Slovenia.

The mental health guidelines were developed from the best research evidence, using predetermined and systematic methods to identify and evaluate the evidence. If there wasn’t enough evidence, consensus statements from the guideline committee were used to form statements and recommendations. These guidelines continue to be referred to by professionals and people using services around the world. Notable guidelines are: 

  • The first-ever NICE guideline (on schizophrenia)
  • The first guideline on service user experience
  • The first collaborative guideline with the Social Care Institute for Excellence on dementia.

Our guidelines have led to some important developments in the field of mental health. They have provided the evidence base that has supported:

  • The National Service Framework (PDF)
  • The Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) programme for depression and anxiety disorders.

Mental health guidelines developed by the NCCMH

Find out more about the international mental health guidelines developed by the NCCMH, using a method developed for other NICE guidelines and NICE International (called ‘adapt and adopt’).

Recognition of our guidelines

Our guidelines have been recognised nationally and internationally:

  • Our guideline on schizophrenia has been twice recognised by the World Health Organization as being the best of any internationally available guideline on that topic.
  • Many of our information booklets for service users and carers have been highly commended by the British Medical Association in their patient information awards.
Read more to receive further information regarding a career in psychiatry