Professional coopted committee member - SMI

NICE is undertaking a review of its guidelines on Severe and enduring mental illness. We are looking to recruit an Occupational Therapist with experience of working with people with severe mental illness. This could be in an NHS hospital inpatient or community setting.

The co-opted committee member will work with the NICE technical team, the guideline chair and the committee to support the specific review of:

• Psychosis and schizophrenia in adults: prevention and management (CG178) including a review of psychological and psychosocial interventions in psychosis.

The expectation is the co-opted committee member will initially be involved in the work outlined; however, as the review of the severe and enduring mental illness guidelines progresses, professional knowledge from the committee member may be required across other reviews outlined below:

• CG185 - Bipolar disorder: assessment and management
• CG155 - Psychosis and schizophrenia in children and young people – recognition and management
• CG178 - Psychosis and schizophrenia in adults: prevention and management
• NG181 - Rehabilitation for adults with complex psychosis
• CG77 - Antisocial personality disorder: prevention and management
• CG78 - Borderline personality disorder: recognition and management
• CG158 - Antisocial behaviour and conduct disorder in children and young people: recognition and management
• NG69 - Eating Disorders
• NG116 – Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

Committee members agree to:

• 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• Raise any concerns about process or details in the draft guidance with the committee, and try to resolve these issues within the committee, with support from the guidance developer or the NICE guidance project team.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.
• Be impartial and honest in conducting their duties for NICE, using public funds entrusted to them to the best advantage of 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.

Working for our organisation, we are particularly interested in people who work with a wide range of people including those who are neurodiverse, people with a learning disability, people from minority ethnic backgrounds or any other groups that may face inequalities in gaining access to services.

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.

Time commitment: Committee members are expected to attend all committee meetings related to the topic under review. We expect this will be up to 10 day-long committee meetings a year, although this may vary as the work progresses. Our committees have been meeting virtually but a small number of meetings may be held in person with an option to attend virtually.

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

Responsibilities:

• Regularly attend Committee meetings (likely 10 per year) as well as 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.