The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence has collected together evidence it believes could save the NHS hundreds of millions of pounds.
NICE published a list of its past guidance that gives a “net cost saving” if followed.
Implementing all of it across England would save about £600m, NICE estimates, though in some areas the savings will already have been made.
Recommendations include using ACE (angiotensin-converting enzyme) inhibitors to reduce risk of heart attack or stroke. Another is using alitretinoin for severe chronic eczema, which could reduce demand for dermatological services and save around £3m.
Around 150 of its clinical guidelines and technology appraisals each year have a net saving, NICE said. Each one includes a costing tool for organisations to calculate how much they could save.
In July NICE chief executive Andrew Dillon told HSJ he would not run an explicit programme looking at where the NHS could stop using certain drugs and treatments.
Instead he said NICE would “make it easier for PCTs to see the point that we are making”.
Speaking at the NHS medical directors’ conference last week, he said: “We have published a comprehensive catalogue of all the advice the NICE has given that prevents opportunities to make disinvestment decisions in the NHS.”
Mr Dillon added: “We are working with [NHS chief executive] David Nicholson and others on finding ways of supporting you in making the savings you need to make.”
The collection of guidance is available on the NICE website.
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