Job summary
In support of NHS proposals for a world-first Antimicrobial Products Subscription Model we're looking for Members to join our brand new Antimicrobials Evaluation Panel, in the following professions/expertise:
- infectious disease consultants
- consultants with experience treating severe infections, for example: consultants working in intensive care, transplant or orthopaedic surgery, oncology, haematology, sexual health or respiratory medicine
- consultant in medical microbiology (preferably with research knowledge of the human gut microbiome)
- senior antimicrobial pharmacists
- experts in the clinical pharmacology of antimicrobials
- experts in infectious disease epidemiology
- other specialties related to the use of antimicrobials and reducing antimicrobial resistance.
Closing date: Midnight on Monday 25 March 2024.
This is an exciting opportunity to contribute to a world-first approach to incentivising development of new antimicrobials that offer significant value to patients and the NHS. It has been devised in response to the UK Government's national action plan for antimicrobial resistance (AMR) which included the commitment to lead the way in testing solutions that address the market failure of companies not investing in developing new antimicrobials.
If you have an access requirement that prevent you from applying online, please contact committeeRCT@nice.org.uk and we can provide MS word versions of the forms to complete.
Main duties of the job
Under the proposed Antimicrobial Products Subscription Model, NHS England and participating devolved nations of the UK will offer companies a contract with a fixed annual fee, delinked from product sales, for eligible antimicrobials targeting pathogens designated a global priority by the World Health Organization (WHO).
In light of lessons learnt from our and in the interest of timely patient access, NHS England and NICE have developed a more pragmatic approach to determine the value of the contract payments for eligible products. This will use award criteria with a points-based scoring system, anchored in the learning from the pilot and negating the need for quantitative health economic analyses on a product-by-product basis.
The subscription model will operate as a procurement process led by NHS England, who are commissioning NICE to establish the Antimicrobial Evaluation Panel to assess and score products against the award criteria. The product's score will determine the value of the contract between the NHS and companies, through assignment to one of four contract value bands. The top band (£20 million per year in England) is for innovative breakthrough products offering exceptional value to patients and the NHS. Further details on the proposals for the award criteria, evidence requirements and scoring system are here. These are being updated in response to consultation feedback, and the final version will be publicly available.
About us
The position of panel member is unpaid.
Other expenses:
NICE recognises that in some circumstances individuals will need to arrange for carers or support workers, 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:
Panel members are expected to attend between 4 and 8 full day meetings in the first year and between 2 and 4 full day meetings in subsequent years. Meetings are likely to be held virtually.
Panel members will spend time reading the company evidence submission and the quality assurance of evidence prepared by the specialist members of the evaluation panel. Each member will be required to independently score each product against the award criteria and submit their scores to NICE. They will also help develop the documents summarising the panel's outputs, for publication.
Panel meetings in private:
Panel meetings are held in private. Members should note that the award summary, which summarises the panel's deliberations and conclusions, will be published after any contracts have been awarded.
Standing panels
Membership will be for 3 years and will be eligible for renewal by mutual agreement, up to a maximum of 10 years.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Before you consider applying for the role, please ensure you read the conflicts of interest section of the attached Information for Applicants AEP doc (DOCX, 74.4KB) document, and refer to NICEs policy on declaring and managing interests for NICE advisory committees.
Panel members agree to:
- set aside enough time to attend all panel meetings to ensure that, for each annual round of the subscription model, all products are evaluated by the same set of experts to achieve consistency
- assess the evidence submitted by the company and, if appropriate, request clarification information or additional evidence
- independently score each antimicrobial product before the evaluation panel meeting, share scores with NICE and be available to discuss scores
- take full account of the evidence submitted by the company and the quality assurance of evidence prepared by the specialist members of the evaluation panel
- occasionally contribute to preparing for panel meetings, in collaboration with the panel Chair and NICE technical staff (this responsibility will be rotated amongst panel members, meaning that each member will be required to do this infrequently)
- contribute positively to the work of the panel and to developing the award summary
- use their personal and professional knowledge to inform the development of the materials for publication which summarise the panels outputs:
- the value band agreed for the product, the scores awarded for each criterion and the rationale for the score awarded for each criterion (the award summary)
- a stewardship statement for the NHS on the optimal use of the product
- raise any concerns about process or details in the award summary with the panel, and try to resolve these issues within the panel, with support from NICE and NHS England project teams
- act in a professional manner, show good manners and be courteous to colleagues and staff at all times (panel 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 and NHS England, use public funds entrusted to them to the best advantage of NICE and NHS England, and avoid deliberately damaging the confidence of the public or stakeholders in NICE and NHS England
- ensure strict adherence to NICEs Principles and equality policy
- read and adhere to NICEs policies on hospitality, declarations of interests and travel and subsistence
- respect the rights of NICE and NHS England both to:
- publish information on the organisations awarded a contract and the associated value band, including an account of the evaluation panel's rationale for the scores given for each of the award criteria and
- receive notification of any proposed publications related to their work on the published outputs
Some panel members will have additional responsibilities during NHS Englands assessment of the eligibility of an antimicrobial product for the subscription model. Some panel members may also be asked to provide clinical expertise when the eligibility and award criteria are reviewed.
The panel will also include some specialist members responsible for quality assuring the evidence submitted, who will be recruited separately.
Panel members may be NHS staff, public health agency staff from the UK Health Security Agency, Public Health Scotland, Public Health Wales or the Northern Ireland Public Health Agency, healthcare professionals or professionals from the academic world. They will use their experience and judgement for the topics considered and contribute to improving the quality and consistency of care provided by the NHS.
Members are appointed because of their experience or their specific technical skills. Members are not appointed to act as representatives of a particular organisation. If members belong to stakeholder organisations, NICE and the panel assume that they bring this perspective to the group, and are not representing their organisation.
Please see the attachedInformation for Applicants document for further information.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Before you consider applying for the role, please ensure you read the conflicts of interest section of the attached Information for Applicants AEP doc (DOCX, 74.4KB) document, and refer to NICEs policy on declaring and managing interests for NICE advisory committees.
Panel members agree to:
- set aside enough time to attend all panel meetings to ensure that, for each annual round of the subscription model, all products are evaluated by the same set of experts to achieve consistency
- assess the evidence submitted by the company and, if appropriate, request clarification information or additional evidence
- independently score each antimicrobial product before the evaluation panel meeting, share scores with NICE and be available to discuss scores
- take full account of the evidence submitted by the company and the quality assurance of evidence prepared by the specialist members of the evaluation panel
- occasionally contribute to preparing for panel meetings, in collaboration with the panel Chair and NICE technical staff (this responsibility will be rotated amongst panel members, meaning that each member will be required to do this infrequently)
- contribute positively to the work of the panel and to developing the award summary
- use their personal and professional knowledge to inform the development of the materials for publication which summarise the panels outputs:
- the value band agreed for the product, the scores awarded for each criterion and the rationale for the score awarded for each criterion (the award summary)
- a stewardship statement for the NHS on the optimal use of the product
- raise any concerns about process or details in the award summary with the panel, and try to resolve these issues within the panel, with support from NICE and NHS England project teams
- act in a professional manner, show good manners and be courteous to colleagues and staff at all times (panel 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 and NHS England, use public funds entrusted to them to the best advantage of NICE and NHS England, and avoid deliberately damaging the confidence of the public or stakeholders in NICE and NHS England
- ensure strict adherence to NICEs Principles and equality policy
- read and adhere to NICEs policies on hospitality, declarations of interests and travel and subsistence
- respect the rights of NICE and NHS England both to:
- publish information on the organisations awarded a contract and the associated value band, including an account of the evaluation panel's rationale for the scores given for each of the award criteria and
- receive notification of any proposed publications related to their work on the published outputs
Some panel members will have additional responsibilities during NHS Englands assessment of the eligibility of an antimicrobial product for the subscription model. Some panel members may also be asked to provide clinical expertise when the eligibility and award criteria are reviewed.
The panel will also include some specialist members responsible for quality assuring the evidence submitted, who will be recruited separately.
Panel members may be NHS staff, public health agency staff from the UK Health Security Agency, Public Health Scotland, Public Health Wales or the Northern Ireland Public Health Agency, healthcare professionals or professionals from the academic world. They will use their experience and judgement for the topics considered and contribute to improving the quality and consistency of care provided by the NHS.
Members are appointed because of their experience or their specific technical skills. Members are not appointed to act as representatives of a particular organisation. If members belong to stakeholder organisations, NICE and the panel assume that they bring this perspective to the group, and are not representing their organisation.
Please see the attachedInformation for Applicants document for further information.
Person Specification
Ability to contribute to the work of the Antimicrobial Evaluation Panel
Essential
- Experience in healthcare, either as a practicing healthcare professional, or working in or in association with the wider aspects of healthcare, the healthcare industries or health research
- One or more of the following professions/expertise: infectious disease consultant; consultant with experience treating severe infections (e.g. consultants working in intensive care, transplant or orthopaedic surgery, oncology, haematology, sexual health or respiratory medicine); consultant in medical microbiology (preferably with research knowledge of the human gut microbiome); senior antimicrobial pharmacist; expertise in the clinical pharmacology of antimicrobials; expertise in infectious disease epidemiology; other expertise related to the use of antimicrobials and reducing antimicrobial resistance
- Active registration with the appropriate professional body and/or a licence to practise (where relevant)
- An understanding of the rationale for implementing a delinked payment model (the 'subscription model') for antimicrobials and the history of this work, including the learnings from the pilot project led by NICE and NHS England on two antimicrobials in 2020-22
- An understanding of the proposed approach to awarding contracts under the new NHS England Antimicrobial Products Subscription Model, including the evaluation panel's role in this and the award criteria against which the panel will score each product
Ability to understand and interpret clinical and microbiological data
Essential
- Ability to gather data, analyse, critique and synthesise complex information, as evidenced by relevant experience and/or academic qualifications
Equality, diversity and inclusion
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
Other
Essential
- Please state which post you are applying for.
Eligibility
Essential
- Are you happy to commit to work within the NICE equality scheme?
- Do you commit to keeping panel discussions confidential as needed?
- Do you have the time to commit to this panel'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?
Person Specification
Ability to contribute to the work of the Antimicrobial Evaluation Panel
Essential
- Experience in healthcare, either as a practicing healthcare professional, or working in or in association with the wider aspects of healthcare, the healthcare industries or health research
- One or more of the following professions/expertise: infectious disease consultant; consultant with experience treating severe infections (e.g. consultants working in intensive care, transplant or orthopaedic surgery, oncology, haematology, sexual health or respiratory medicine); consultant in medical microbiology (preferably with research knowledge of the human gut microbiome); senior antimicrobial pharmacist; expertise in the clinical pharmacology of antimicrobials; expertise in infectious disease epidemiology; other expertise related to the use of antimicrobials and reducing antimicrobial resistance
- Active registration with the appropriate professional body and/or a licence to practise (where relevant)
- An understanding of the rationale for implementing a delinked payment model (the 'subscription model') for antimicrobials and the history of this work, including the learnings from the pilot project led by NICE and NHS England on two antimicrobials in 2020-22
- An understanding of the proposed approach to awarding contracts under the new NHS England Antimicrobial Products Subscription Model, including the evaluation panel's role in this and the award criteria against which the panel will score each product
Ability to understand and interpret clinical and microbiological data
Essential
- Ability to gather data, analyse, critique and synthesise complex information, as evidenced by relevant experience and/or academic qualifications
Equality, diversity and inclusion
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
Other
Essential
- Please state which post you are applying for.
Eligibility
Essential
- Are you happy to commit to work within the NICE equality scheme?
- Do you commit to keeping panel discussions confidential as needed?
- Do you have the time to commit to this panel'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.
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).
Additional information
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.
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).
Employer details
Employer name
NICE – The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence
Address
Manchester (meetings to be held virtually)
Manchester (meetings to be held virtually)
M1 4BT
Employer's website
https://www.nice.org.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)
