Job summary
The Chair ensures that committees take full account of the evidence in developing recommendations and/or quality statements and considers the analysis and interpretation of the evidence prepared by the NICE team.
NICE Guideline CommitteesThe Guideline Development Team (GDT) works with topic-specific guideline committees, considers the evidence and develops recommendations, taking into account the views of stakeholders. The committee is put together for a single guideline topic or to work on multiple guidelines within a topic area.
NICE Quality Standards Advisory Committee (QSAC)The QSACs operate as standing Advisory Committees. The committees work with the NICE team to prioritise areas for quality improvement, advise on the content of quality standards in development and review our current quality standards.
How to apply:
Please attach your CV to your online application and specify which role you wish to apply for:
- Chair to the guideline committee
- Chair to the quality standards advisory committee
- Both roles.
Please note: You are not required to complete the education and employment history sections of the online application.
Please download and complete the declaration of interest form and email to CCTrct@nice.org.uk.
Any questions can be directed to rebecca.parsons@nice.org.uk. and anna.wasielewska@nice.org.uk
Main duties of the job
The Chair will work in collaboration with NICE staff, the Committee and a guideline Topic Adviser (if appointed), to develop guidelines or quality standards on behalf of NICE.
Chairs are appointed for their expertise and skill in chairing groups, and although they may have some knowledge of the topic, this is not their primary role in the group. Specialist knowledge is provided by other committee members.
The ways of working vary between NICE Guideline and Quality Standards Committees.
NICE Guideline CommitteeThe Chair will contribute to the scoping, development and validation of the guideline. The successful candidate will be expected to:
- Participate in meetings and workshops
- Attend all Committee meetings. These are normally held in London but are currently held virtually due to COVID-19.
The number of committee meetings will be determined by the content of the scope and will be a mixture of one- and two-day events.
NICE Quality Standards Advisory Committee (QSAC)The Chair will contribute to finalising priority areas for inclusion in quality standard as well as development and validation of the quality standard. The successful candidate will be expected to:
- Participate in recruitment of committee members
- Attend regular Committee meetings. These are normally held virtually but some may be face to face in London or Manchester.
The number of committee meetings will be determined by the programme requirements but will be no more than 1 full day meeting a month.
About us
Our committees have been meeting virtually since the COVID-19 pandemic. We will review this regularly but currently anticipate a small number of meetings may be held in person.
Committee chair's employing organisations are normally reimbursed for the time chairs work for NICE on a secondment arrangement. Where it is not possible or appropriate to reimburse a chair's employing organisation NICE will engage the chair directly on payroll and PAYE will be collected.
The on-payroll reimbursement rate for a chair is up to £500 per day.
Locum backfill reimbursements to NHS GP practicesNICE will reimburse locum backfill for chairs that are working in NHS general practice and a locum is needed to allow their attendance on NICE business. The cost of the locum cover will be reimbursed up to a maximum of £600 per day or £300 for half a day.
Self-employed NHS locums attending NICE committeesSelf-employed GP locums working in the NHS will be personally reimbursed £400 per day or £200 for half a day upon receipt of a completed claim form.
Other expensesNICE recognises that in some circumstances individuals will need to arrange for carers or support workers to accompany them to a meeting, or to take over unpaid caring responsibilities while they are at a meeting - this includes childcare or care of a family member with a disability or other additional needs.
Further information is available in the non-staff reimbursement policy.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Applications must be received by midnight on Thursday 19 May 2022.
Before applying for the role, please read the Conflicts of interest section of this document and refer to NICEs policy on declaring and managing interests for NICE advisory committees.
NICE Guideline CommitteeThe chairing of committee meetings is only part of the role. In addition, the Chair will have to spend time reading substantial committee documents, helping to produce consultation documents and respond to stakeholder responses to the consultation documents. The Chair works with NICE staff between committee meetings and usually attends a pre-committee meeting to prepare papers and presentations.
The Chair undertakes additional work before development to scope the guideline including attendance at scoping meetings and a one-day workshop. The preparation for these meetings can require email and telephone contact with the NICE project team.
The Chair is also involved in recruitment of the guideline committee this can require several days of shortlisting and interviewing (held virtually or by telephone), depending on the guideline topic and the number of applicants.
After development during consultation, validation, publication and post-publication phases the Chair is involved in work relating to the quality assurance and launch of the guideline in liaison with NICE.The Chair is also required to respond to emails and attend ad hoc meetings to help resolve any issues that may arise.
NICE Quality Standards Advisory CommitteeThe Chair is expected to commit to monthly committee meetings scheduled far in advance. They may be half-day or 1-day long meetings which is confirmed by the NICE team closer to the meeting date.
The chairing of committee meetings is only part of the role. In addition, the Chair will work with the NICE team between the meetings and help resolve any issues that may arise. The Chair will spend time prior to the committee meetings reading documents prepared by the NICE team and attend pre-committee meetings (virtual meeting using online software) to prepare for the discussions.
The Chair will also have responsibility for quality assuring documents and minutes produced by the NICE team following the committee meetings and prior to publication.
The Chair is also involved in recruitment of standing committee members which may require some time for shortlisting and interviewing.
The Chair is also required to respond to emails and attend ad hoc meetings to help resolve any issues that may arise.
Responsibilities:
- Act in accordance with the principles of the NICE Code of Conduct
- Participate in NICE Committee Chairs training
- Meet regularly throughout guideline and/or quality standard development with senior NICE staff to identify any additional training and support needs and to monitor and address issues in guideline and/or quality standard progress
- Participate in the recruitment of committee members including shortlisting and interviewing applicants (held virtually or by telephone)
- Work with the Topic Adviser (if applicable) and NICE staff to develop the scope of the guideline
- Help plan, chair and maintain the focus and smooth running of committee meetings
- Agree draft agendas with NICE staff and ensure that committee meetings achieve their aims by keeping to the agenda
- Ask for Declarations of Interest from committee members at each meeting, identify any conflicts and handle these as they arise in line with NICEs policy
- Facilitate committee meetings to achieve consensus in relation to the evidence base, provide appropriate clinical or social care interpretations where possible and formulation of concise action-orientated recommendations and/or quality statements.
- Facilitate topic groups of committee members on specific questions as required.
- Facilitate discussion at committee meetings about guideline and/or quality standard development and writing of recommendations and/or quality statements, ensuring all members are involved in discussion and encouraged to express their views
- Keep group discussion unified and avoid disruption by sub-conversations or dominance by any group members
- Encourage constructive debate, without forcing agreement and prevent repetitive debate
- Summarise the main points and key decisions from discussions at committee meetings
- Assist in resolving concerns or disagreements between committee members
- Work with the Topic Adviser (if applicable) and senior NICE staff to ensure appropriate governance of committee meetings and guideline materials, such as accurate sets of meeting minutes, recording and assessing the impact of declarations of interest, ensuring confidentiality, etc.
- Sign-off all meeting minutes once approved by the Committee
- Work with the Topic Adviser (if applicable), senior NICE staff and members of the technical team between meetings to ensure timely delivery of high-quality systematic reviews and health economic content
- Take responsibility with the Topic Adviser (if applicable) and senior NICE staff for quality assuring drafts of the guideline and/or quality standard and contributing to the writing of the final guideline and/or quality standard documents.
- Represent the Committee at other meetings (such as those organised by NICE and relevant medical Royal colleges), if required
- Be a champion for the guideline and/or quality standard after publication and undertake activities to promote its implementation, such as talking at press and professional conferences and publishing -related articles in accordance with the NICE publications policy.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Applications must be received by midnight on Thursday 19 May 2022.
Before applying for the role, please read the Conflicts of interest section of this document and refer to NICEs policy on declaring and managing interests for NICE advisory committees.
NICE Guideline CommitteeThe chairing of committee meetings is only part of the role. In addition, the Chair will have to spend time reading substantial committee documents, helping to produce consultation documents and respond to stakeholder responses to the consultation documents. The Chair works with NICE staff between committee meetings and usually attends a pre-committee meeting to prepare papers and presentations.
The Chair undertakes additional work before development to scope the guideline including attendance at scoping meetings and a one-day workshop. The preparation for these meetings can require email and telephone contact with the NICE project team.
The Chair is also involved in recruitment of the guideline committee this can require several days of shortlisting and interviewing (held virtually or by telephone), depending on the guideline topic and the number of applicants.
After development during consultation, validation, publication and post-publication phases the Chair is involved in work relating to the quality assurance and launch of the guideline in liaison with NICE.The Chair is also required to respond to emails and attend ad hoc meetings to help resolve any issues that may arise.
NICE Quality Standards Advisory CommitteeThe Chair is expected to commit to monthly committee meetings scheduled far in advance. They may be half-day or 1-day long meetings which is confirmed by the NICE team closer to the meeting date.
The chairing of committee meetings is only part of the role. In addition, the Chair will work with the NICE team between the meetings and help resolve any issues that may arise. The Chair will spend time prior to the committee meetings reading documents prepared by the NICE team and attend pre-committee meetings (virtual meeting using online software) to prepare for the discussions.
The Chair will also have responsibility for quality assuring documents and minutes produced by the NICE team following the committee meetings and prior to publication.
The Chair is also involved in recruitment of standing committee members which may require some time for shortlisting and interviewing.
The Chair is also required to respond to emails and attend ad hoc meetings to help resolve any issues that may arise.
Responsibilities:
- Act in accordance with the principles of the NICE Code of Conduct
- Participate in NICE Committee Chairs training
- Meet regularly throughout guideline and/or quality standard development with senior NICE staff to identify any additional training and support needs and to monitor and address issues in guideline and/or quality standard progress
- Participate in the recruitment of committee members including shortlisting and interviewing applicants (held virtually or by telephone)
- Work with the Topic Adviser (if applicable) and NICE staff to develop the scope of the guideline
- Help plan, chair and maintain the focus and smooth running of committee meetings
- Agree draft agendas with NICE staff and ensure that committee meetings achieve their aims by keeping to the agenda
- Ask for Declarations of Interest from committee members at each meeting, identify any conflicts and handle these as they arise in line with NICEs policy
- Facilitate committee meetings to achieve consensus in relation to the evidence base, provide appropriate clinical or social care interpretations where possible and formulation of concise action-orientated recommendations and/or quality statements.
- Facilitate topic groups of committee members on specific questions as required.
- Facilitate discussion at committee meetings about guideline and/or quality standard development and writing of recommendations and/or quality statements, ensuring all members are involved in discussion and encouraged to express their views
- Keep group discussion unified and avoid disruption by sub-conversations or dominance by any group members
- Encourage constructive debate, without forcing agreement and prevent repetitive debate
- Summarise the main points and key decisions from discussions at committee meetings
- Assist in resolving concerns or disagreements between committee members
- Work with the Topic Adviser (if applicable) and senior NICE staff to ensure appropriate governance of committee meetings and guideline materials, such as accurate sets of meeting minutes, recording and assessing the impact of declarations of interest, ensuring confidentiality, etc.
- Sign-off all meeting minutes once approved by the Committee
- Work with the Topic Adviser (if applicable), senior NICE staff and members of the technical team between meetings to ensure timely delivery of high-quality systematic reviews and health economic content
- Take responsibility with the Topic Adviser (if applicable) and senior NICE staff for quality assuring drafts of the guideline and/or quality standard and contributing to the writing of the final guideline and/or quality standard documents.
- Represent the Committee at other meetings (such as those organised by NICE and relevant medical Royal colleges), if required
- Be a champion for the guideline and/or quality standard after publication and undertake activities to promote its implementation, such as talking at press and professional conferences and publishing -related articles in accordance with the NICE publications policy.
Person Specification
Ability to contribute to the work of the advisory body
Essential
- Experience in health or social care (as appropriate), either as a practicing health or social care professional, or working in or in association with the wider aspects of health or social care or the healthcare industries, or through engagement in or with health or social care as a patient, member of the public, user, carer or as an advocate
- An understanding of the social, political, economic and professional influences on NICE
- Ability to take an impartial and balanced view during discussions of complex and emotive subjects.
Desirable
- An understanding and/or experience of healthcare focused quality improvement methodology and delivery
- An understanding of NICE processes in the development of Quality Standards, Quality Indicators and Clinical Guidelines
Ability to understand and interpret multiple complex data sets
Essential
- An understanding of critical appraisal of research evidence
- Ability to gather data, analyse, critique and synthesise complex information, as evidenced by relevant experience and/or academic qualifications.
Desirable
- An understanding of systematic review methodology
- A knowledge of quality measures and health economics
Nature of the motivation underpinning the application
Essential
- Clearly and persuasively stated reasoning for making an application.
- Commitment to producing guidelines and/or quality standards based on evidence.
- Commitment to work within the framework of NICE's processes and policies.
- No conflicts of interest
Equality and diversity
Essential
- Commitment to eliminating unlawful discrimination, advancing equality and an understanding or awareness of the issues of inequality in health, public health and social care settings.
Communication skills
Essential
- Negotiating and influencing skills
- Experience of developing effective relationships with a range of stakeholders and working in partnership with senior professionals at a national level in a healthcare setting
- Experience of communicating with a range of audiences at all levels
- Written and verbal communication skills, including listening, constructive discussion and an ability to reach consensus
- Group management, leadership and facilitation skills
Ability to exercise judgement across a wide range of issues
Essential
- Discretion in handling politically sensitive and confidential information.
Person Specification
Ability to contribute to the work of the advisory body
Essential
- Experience in health or social care (as appropriate), either as a practicing health or social care professional, or working in or in association with the wider aspects of health or social care or the healthcare industries, or through engagement in or with health or social care as a patient, member of the public, user, carer or as an advocate
- An understanding of the social, political, economic and professional influences on NICE
- Ability to take an impartial and balanced view during discussions of complex and emotive subjects.
Desirable
- An understanding and/or experience of healthcare focused quality improvement methodology and delivery
- An understanding of NICE processes in the development of Quality Standards, Quality Indicators and Clinical Guidelines
Ability to understand and interpret multiple complex data sets
Essential
- An understanding of critical appraisal of research evidence
- Ability to gather data, analyse, critique and synthesise complex information, as evidenced by relevant experience and/or academic qualifications.
Desirable
- An understanding of systematic review methodology
- A knowledge of quality measures and health economics
Nature of the motivation underpinning the application
Essential
- Clearly and persuasively stated reasoning for making an application.
- Commitment to producing guidelines and/or quality standards based on evidence.
- Commitment to work within the framework of NICE's processes and policies.
- No conflicts of interest
Equality and diversity
Essential
- Commitment to eliminating unlawful discrimination, advancing equality and an understanding or awareness of the issues of inequality in health, public health and social care settings.
Communication skills
Essential
- Negotiating and influencing skills
- Experience of developing effective relationships with a range of stakeholders and working in partnership with senior professionals at a national level in a healthcare setting
- Experience of communicating with a range of audiences at all levels
- Written and verbal communication skills, including listening, constructive discussion and an ability to reach consensus
- Group management, leadership and facilitation skills
Ability to exercise judgement across a wide range of issues
Essential
- Discretion in handling politically sensitive and confidential information.
Additional information
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
