Committee Member, Highly Specialized Technologies (Rare Diseases)

Job summary

We are recruiting for professional committee members to join the Highly Specialised Technologies Committee (HST), in the following professions:

• Consultant Geneticists
• Clinicians
• Public Health Specialists

The HST committee mainly considers medicines for very rare diseases to see if they should be routinely commissioned in the NHS.

The HST evaluation committee looks at innovative technologies such as pegzilarginase for treating arginase-1 deficiency in people 2 years and over and cerliponase alfa for treating neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis type 2.

The HST committee also sometimes considers topics that would normally go to NICE's technology appraisal committees, to help with capacity with a focus on rare diseases.

Please note: NICE will reimburse locum backfill for committee members that are working in NHS general practice and a locum is needed to allow their attendance on NICE business.

More information can be found here.

If you have an access requirement that prevents you from applying online, please contact committee RCT@nice. org. uk and we can provide MS word versions of the forms to complete.

Main duties of the job

• Set aside enough time to attend committee meetings and use their personal and professional knowledge to inform the development of the guidance
• Raise any concerns about process or details in the draft guidance with the committee, and try to resolve these issues within the committee, with support from the guidance developer or the NICE guidance project team
• Contribute positively to the work of the committee and to developing the guidance
• Take full account of the evidence in developing recommendations
• Consider the analysis and interpretation of evidence prepared by the evidence review team
• Act in a professional manner, show good manners and be courteous to colleagues and staff at all times (committee members should behave in a polite, efficient and respectful manner and without bias or favour, using the highest standards of conduct expected in public life and service while on NICE duty)
• Be impartial and honest in conducting their duties for NICE, use public funds entrusted to them to the best advantage of NICE, and avoid deliberately damaging the confidence of the public or stakeholders in NICE
• Ensure strict adherence to NICE's Principles and equality policy.
• Read and adhere to NICE's policies on hospitality, declarations of interests and travel and subsistence.

About us

Members: Information on reimbursement can be found here.

NICE will pay reasonable out-of-pocket expenses, including train fares and hotel costs when necessary, for attending committee meetings.

Other expenses: NICE 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.

The circumstances in which NICE can provide reimbursement for such costs are outlined in the non-staff reimbursement policy.

Time commitment: Committee members are expected to attend 12 day-long committee meetings a year and an annual away day.

Our committee meetings are predominantly virtual, with a small number of meetings held in a hybrid format.

Committee members will have to spend time reading substantial committee documents and helping to produce consultation documents.

Committee meetings in public: Committee meetings are held in public. See NICE's information on advisory committee meetings.

Standing committees: Membership will be for 3 years and will be eligible for renewal.

The second and further periods of office will be for periods of up to 3 years by mutual agreement, up to a maximum of 10 years.

• Job responsibilities
• Regularly attend Committee meetings (12 per year) as well as an annual away day and occasional training.
• Contribute to the panel deliberations from their own specialist knowledge whilst respecting input from non-specialists and lay persons.
• Apply their own experience and judgement to the topics under discussion, rather than act as a representative of their organisation.
• Work with the other members of the Committee and NICE staff to identify key issues and review evidence.
• Work with other members of the Committee and NICE staff to formulate recommendations and comment on the evidence and on drafts of the guidance.
• Agree the final recommendations and guidance.
• Advise on implementation issues as required.
• Ensure appropriate consideration of the implications of guidance for duties under equalities legislation.

Follow agreed decision-making procedures and accept the collective decisions of the Committee.

• Abide by NICE's code of conduct for Committee members including declarations of interest, and follow the Committee's operational procedures.
• Prepare for the Committee meetings by reading the substantive papers and by gathering any additional information on the proposed topics which may be helpful to the discussions.
• Participate in review(s) of the functioning of the Committee and accept changes to the membership, remit, procedures, etc., of the Committee as a result.
• Participate in induction training and other training which may be offered periodically.

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.

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).

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