The use of pressure-relieving devices (beds, mattresses and overlays) for the prevention of pressure ulcers in primary and secondary care.

Over the past year members of the Tissue Viability Society have been involved in helping the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) develop a new guideline on the use of pressure-relieving devices in pressure ulcer prevention. This article presents this guideline, its evidence base and the development process. Given that the guideline has been subject to NICE stakeholder review it has not been subjected to the normal peer-review process used by the Journal of Tissue Viability.