The Bottom Line
- The fastest credibility upgrade is to always know “current as of when” for the page you used.
- Use CKS “What’s new” to spot systematic updates, and topic-level “Changes” (where available) to see what actually moved.
- Documenting source + date is a small habit with big governance value.
Clinicians rarely get into trouble for using reputable sources; they get into trouble for using old versions without realising. This page is a non-clinical system: how to check CKS currency quickly, how to interpret changes responsibly, and how to build a lightweight audit trail.
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Step 1 — Use ‘What’s new’ as your macro-view
Start with the CKS ‘What’s new’ page to understand what topics were updated recently. This is a fast way to spot areas with changed practice or refreshed evidence.
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Step 2 — On a topic page, look for currency signals
Where available, check the “How up-to-date is this topic?” area and scan for a “Changes” section. The goal is not to read everything—just to verify whether anything changed that matters to your decision.
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Step 3 — Create a simple annotation habit
When you share a link (handover, message, note), add: “accessed [date]”. If you’re being precise, add the section name. This turns a link into a usable, defensible reference.
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Step 4 — Don’t rely on cached screenshots
Avoid saving screenshots of guidance as your ‘reference’. Save the link. Guidance updates; screenshots don’t. If you must capture, capture the link + access date alongside it.
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Step 5 — When changes matter, pivot to the upstream source
If you see meaningful change or controversy, pivot to the upstream source (NICE guidance, safety alerts, or medicines references) and document the chain. This is how you keep your reasoning defensible.
Don’t confuse “I found it on NICE” with “it is current”
Reputable platforms still contain pages with varying maintenance intensity. Your professionalism is the currency-check habit. It takes seconds and prevents avoidable errors.
SourceCKS: What’s new (official)
Open Link SourceExample: a CKS topic changes log (official example page)
Open Link SourceAbout NICE guidelines (official)
Open Link