Public Health England hosts the UK National Screening Committee

Annual call for new screening

topics

Dr Anne Mackie

Annual Call for new screening topics

WHAT?

3-month opportunity for new screening topics to be proposed

WHO?

Anyone can submit a proposal!

WHEN?

Annual call commenced in September, and closes 9th Jan ’17.

This is a pilot.

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WHY?

• Provide a clear and simple process of proposing new topics

• Maximise transparency in how we choose topics

• Follows model used in Sweden and USA

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How to submit a proposal?Use template form and send to the UK NSC Evidence team.

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Condition

Treatment

RCT Evidence?

Flowchart

Test

Don’t forget!

Use only peer-reviewed literature to support the proposal

A maximum of 10 references to be provided

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What happens when

we receive the

proposal?

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1. Relevance to the UK NSC remit

The UK NSC Evidence team will conduct a preliminary check to:

1. Ensure the proposal is within the remit of the UK NSC

2. Ensure the submission form guidelines were followed

3. Check that a flowchart has been completed to estimate the outcomes of screening

If the proposal does not meet the remit of the UKNSC (eg is a clinical management programme ) or the information on the form does not allow for an assessment of the case then, following agreement with the Chair, the Secretariat will write to the applicant and inform them that the proposal will not be taken any further.

Successful proposals are taken to the next stage.

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2: External assessment / triageIf the proposal does fit the remit (eg a whole population screening proposal and

the form provides sufficient relevant information and a flow chart) then the next

stage is triggered

The form and the references will be sent to an external organisation to allow for

further detailed consideration. Three keys questions will be asked :

1. Do the references in the proposal support the statements?

2. What type of evidence supports the proposal ?

3. Will the proposal benefit from further investigation?

In order to better understand the answer to the last question the external

assessors may do a further search in the scientific literature to see the amount

and type of evidence that is available.

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Consideration of the external assessment

reportThe summary from the external assessor is returned and a group will meet to:

• consider the submission and the external assessment report

• make a recommendation to the UK NSC on which proposals merit further work up.

UK NSC makes final decision on what goes forward.

If the proposal does not have sufficient published evidence to mean further review would be worthwhile then the Secretariat will write to the proposer with a summary of the work and the reasons for not taking the proposal any further.

If there is sufficient published evidence then the Secretariat will commission more detailed evidence work in the normal process. The proposer will be informed.

We will publish a list of all topics received and the outcome

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