| Summary: | These interim process and methods aim to address concerns about the previous process (for example, the resource intensity of focused literature searching) while retaining best practice (for example, involving technical and methodological analysts and subject content experts from guideline development groups [GDGs]). In this interim surveillance process, there is a change in the frequency and type of surveillance evidence reviews from full reviews every 3 years to alternate rapid and full reviews every 2 years. The purpose of the guideline surveillance process is to maintain a clinically relevant library of guideline topics, because advances in medicines and technologies may lead to guideline recommendations becoming obsolete. There is little published evidence about guideline surveillance or review methodology, but a recent analysis found that 14% of NICE clinical guidelines need a substantial update 3 years after their publication; by 5 years this increases to approximately 50%. However, it has also been found that, although a guideline may not need a substantial update, there are often small discrete areas that could be updated, but previously NICE has not had the capacity or processes to deal with these. This is being addressed through a separate pilot programme for conducting rapid updates
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