Non-specialist Chair - NICE topic committees
Job Description
Job summary
We are seeking to recruit a number of Chairs for topic committees to work in collaboration with the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE).
Over the next 12 months, we are expecting to start work on topics across our 4 high priority suite areas - Cancer, Women's & reproductive health, Cardiometabolic conditions and Mental Health. There may also be some topics outside of these areas.
Chairs are appointed to work on different topics and allocation to topics will be discussed post appointment.
We are looking for skilled and experienced leaders with a track record of chairing national or high profile multi-professional committees or working groups. We welcome your application irrespective of age, disability, neuro-divergence, sex, gender identity, gender expression, race or ethnicity, religion or belief, sexual orientation, personal circumstance, or if you are from a marginalised or underrepresented group. Strong interpersonal skills and excellent verbal and written communication skills are required, along with an ability to communicate complex issues to differing audiences.
Applicants should have a commitment to evidence-based medicine or practice, ideally with experience of NICE guideline development.
The primary role of the Chair is to chair the committee and not to provide knowledge of the topic. Specialist knowledge is provided by other committee members and a Topic Adviser, if appointed.
Main duties of the job
The Chair ensures that the committee takes full account of the evidence in developing recommendations and considers the analysis and interpretation of the evidence prepared by the evidence review team. The Chair must therefore establish trust and mutual respect among members of the committee and give opportunities for all members to contribute to its discussions and activities.
While all committee members must ensure appropriate consideration of the implications of guidance for equality, this is a particular responsibility for the Chair.
The Chair should also offer committee members feedback and comment on their contribution to the committee, on an annual basis, for revalidation purposes or personal development.
About us
Committee chairs' 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. NICE engages chairs as office holders and as such the NHS pension scheme and other benefits are not offered.
The on payroll reimbursement rate (honorarium) for a chair will be £700 per day (more than 4 hours) or £350 per half day (up to and including 4 hours). This payment relates to the scheduled committee meeting time only and recognises the time spent outside of the meeting.
The 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 comments at consultations. The Chair is also involved in recruitment of the topic committee.
Job responsibilities
Act in accordance with the principles of the NICE Code of Conduct
Participate in NICE committee Chairs training
Participate in the recruitment of committee members including shortlisting and interviewing applicants (virtual)
Work with the Topic Adviser and developer staff to develop the scope of the guidance
Help plan, chair and maintain the focus and smooth running of committee meeting
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 practice interpretations where possible and formulation of concise action-orientated recommendations.
Facilitate topic groups of committee members on specific questions as required.
Facilitate discussion at committee meetings about topic development and writing of recommendations, 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 and Topic Lead to ensure appropriate governance of committee meetings and topic 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, the Topic Lead and other members of NICEs topic team between meetings to ensure timely delivery of high-quality systematic reviews and health economic content
Take responsibility with the Topic Adviser and Topic Lead for quality assuring drafts of the guidance and contributing to the writing of the final guidance documents.
Represent the committee at other meetings (such as those organised by NICE and relevant medical Royal colleges), if required
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 understand understand and interpret multiple complex data sets
Essential
- Ability to gather data, analyse, critique and synthesise complex information, as evidenced by relevant experience and/or academic qualifications
Nature of the motivation underpinning the application
Essential
- Clearly and persuasively stated reasoning for making an application
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
Excellent oral and written 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
Ability to exercise judgement across a wide range of issues
Essential
- Discretion in handling politically sensitive and confidential information
Eligibility
Essential
- Are you happy to commit to work within the NICE equality scheme?
- Do you commit to keeping committee discussions confidential as needed?
- Do you have the time to commit to this committee's work? (This includes attending meetings, reading papers, commenting on draft documents, and other work as required)
- Have you worked, or do you work as a healthcare, social care or public health professional? If yes, please give details including profession, specialty and dates:
- Have you received a prison sentence or suspended sentence of 3 months or more in the last 5 years (this will usually lead to disqualification unless NICE is actively seeking lay member candidates with this experience, for example, prison health topics)?
- Are you the subject of a bankruptcy restrictions order or interim order?
- Have you been dismissed (except by redundancy) by any NHS or social care body?
- Have you had an earlier term of appointment with NICE terminated?
- Are you under a disqualification order under the Company Directors Disqualification Act 1986?
- Have you been removed from trusteeship of a charity?
- Are you employed by the Department for Health and Social Care?
- Are you employed by NHS England's national commissioning functions?
- Are you appointed by NHS England as a National Clinical Director, National Specialty Lead, or Clinical Reference Group chair?
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
