Nice guys finish last, according to a new survey. Researchers found that nice guys are more likely to cheat on their spouses than unattractive males. They also found that women like guys who share power in the relationship, are willing to compromise, take the lead and are interested in sex.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence was an independent executive non-directorate public body of the UK government, which publishes guidelines on care in four disciplines: medicine, nursing, social work and clinical practice. It is a major influence on health and care and represents one of the major bodies that drives medical training, policy and practice. NICE encourages “efficient, reliable and affordable services and supports and develops care delivery in the wider community through a network of doctors, nurses and other support staff”. As part of its role as a publicly funded organisation, NICE carries out trials to improve and develop new methods of treatment and care, in order that best possible results can be obtained. They also set out a number of principles, including the principle of shared learning, which aims to promote responsibility and commitment within health and care teams and to build cohesive and accountable communities.

In July 2009, NICE published its fifth edition of Quality Improvement Reviews, which sets out quality standards and guidance for the English NHS. It includes important guidance for English hospitals, and sets out how staff can work more effectively with each other and with local residents to improve standards. The fifth edition of this key document has been produced in response to the growing need for improved services and quality improvement across the NHS in England. It covers all aspects of public health and social care, and includes an introduction to strategic nursing, a register for quality information services and a glossary. It also includes a new glossary and a register of recommended interventions for use with young people and vulnerable adults.

The sixth edition of the Nursing Review comes out in March 2010. It is the latest development, having been produced after the third and fourth reviews were released. This time around, the theme of the document is quality assessment across the board – looking at processes and policies to ensure high quality care is provided. The topic selection for the subject matter has been based on the recommendations from the Royal College of Nursing (RCN), and NICE has done a GPs based appraisal. It makes excellent use of the National Health Service (NHS) register data and features clinical knowledge summaries and quality indicators based on the recommendations made by the RCN.

Another major feature of the Nursing Review is the introduction to the concept of evidence-based guidance. Evidence is used as the main tool for improving quality and reducing the burden of clinical practice and it must be approached systematically, fairly and objectively. This is done through a process where the reviewer asks for evidence and then compares that evidence with the procedures, policies and practice in operation. It should be able to show that there is a real link between the quality of patient care and key policy aims, and that implementation of those aims is improving outcomes for the patients and reducing unnecessary interventions.

The introduction of a nice application, which can be accessed via an Internet link from the NHS homepage, means that more people will have easy access to good clinical information across all specialities. In addition, it should be easy for clinicians to use the nice app, so that they can build a strong case for any patients and use it to support their treatment plans. Clinical guidelines are becoming more user-friendly and patient-centred, with many complex areas now being covered with well-designed, clear and easily-understood directives. However, the introduction of a nice app such as this one, along with a number of other changes being made across the board, means that clinical practice is better coordinated and patients receive more accurate, clear, concise and consistent information and care from healthcare professionals.