Health Technology Assessment (HTA)

In this section you can read more on the people involved in the assessment of applications for the NIHR Health Technology Assessment (HTA) Programme, read the minutes of previous funding decisions and obtain more information on becoming a reviewer or a panel member. 

New developments in health research funding are transforming the way research in the NHS is organised and carried out. The NIHR Health Technology Assessment (HTA) Programme invites and works with a range of individuals to meet the research needs of the NHS. Their support and input allows us to fund high-quality, evidence-based, value for money research.

The people who work in, work with or use NHS services provide vital input into all stages of the NIHR HTA Programme.

Members of the HTA advisory groups are required to declare any interests which conflict, or may be considered to conflict, with HTA business, or may be perceived as influencing decisions made in the course of their work within the HTA programme in line with the Conflicts of Interest Policy. All members are asked to complete the Register of Interest form (annually), which is intended to capture long term predictable interests that could be perceived to lead to conflicts of interest. These and other interests are judged on a case by case basis at individual meetings. View the Register of Interests for each HTA programme advisory group.

Our director

Professor Hywel Willliams, is an internationally respected and published Professor of Dermato-Epidemiology and Co-director of the Centre of Evidence Based Dermatology at Nottingham University. He was Deputy Director of the HTA Programme and chair of the HTA Commissioning Board 2010 to 2015.

Watch the latest director's message.

Our boards

The HTA Boards meet three times a year to assess the scientific merit of proposals submitted to both the commissioned and researcher-led workstreams, including themed calls and evidence synthesis proposals, and to make funding recommendations to the HTA Prioritisation Group (PG).

HTA Commissioning Board

Chair	Organisation
Professor Deborah Ashby, OBE	Deputy Head of the School of Public Health, Co-Director of Imperial Clinical Trials Unit, Chair in Medical Statistics and Clinical Trials, Imperial College, London

Deputy Chair	Organisation
Professor Simon Gilbody	Professor in Health Services Research, University of York

Member	Organisation
Professor Ibrahim Abubakar	Professor in Infectious Disease Epidemiology, University College London
Professor Joy Adamson	Professor of applied health research & ageing, Newcastle University
Professor Steven Brown	Colorectal Surgery, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals
Mr Paul Charlton	Public board member
Professor Gary Collins	Professor of Medical Statistics, University of Oxford
Professor Saul Faust	Professor of paediatric immunology & infectious diseases, University Hospitals Southampton NHS Foundation Trust
Professor Richard Grieve	Health Economist, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine
Dr Gail Hayward	Academic Clinical Lecturer & General Practitioner, University of Oxford
Mr Rakesh Heer	Consultant Urologist, University of Newcastle
Professor Catherine Hewitt	Deputy Director, York Trials Unit
Professor Pat Hoddinott	Chair in Primary Care, University of Stirling
Professor Robert Howard	Professor of Old Age Psychiatry, King's College London, and University College, London; Consultant Old Age Psychiatrist, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust
Professor Pip Logan	Professor of Rehabilitation Research, University of Nottingham
Professor William McGuire	Professor of Paediatrics and Child Health, Hull York Medical School
Mr Daniel Perry	Senior Lecturer in Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Liverpool
Dr Greta Rait	Reader in Primary Care & General Practitioner, University College London
Professor Chris Rogers	Professor of Medical Statistics, University of Bristol
Professor Jonathan Ross	University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust
Professor Tracey Sach	Health Economist, University of East Anglia
Professor Andrew Shennan, OBE	Professor of Obstetrics, King's College London
Professor Sobha Sivaprasad	Consultant Ophthalmologist, Moorfields Eye Hospital
Mr David Symes	Public member
Dr Catrin Tudur-Smith	Reader in Medical Statistics, University of Liverpool
Dr Katrina Turner	Qualitative Methologist, University of Bristol

HTA Clinical Evaluation and Trials Board

Chair	Organisation
Professor Steven Goodacre	Professor and Consultant in Emergency Medicine, University of Sheffield

Deputy Chair	Organisation
Professor Julia Brown	Director, Leeds Institute of Clinical Trials Research

Member	Organisation
Dr Philip Alderson	Clinical Advisor, Centre for Guidelines, National Institute for Health and Care Excellence
Dr Kate Brown	Consultant Paediatric Intensive Care, Great Ormond Street Hospital and Hon Reader Institute Cardiovascular Science UCL
Professor Lucy Chappell	NIHR Research Professor in Obstetrics, King's College London
Professor Tim Coleman	Professor of Primary Care, University of Nottingham
Dr Charlotte Coles	Reader in Breast Radiation Oncology, Honorary Consultant in Clinical Oncology, Cambridge Breast Cancer Research Unit
Professor Lorraine De Souza	Professor of Rehabilitation, Brunel University
Professor David Ekers	Nurse Consultant, Mental Health, Tees, Esk & Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust
Dr Richard Emsley	Professor of Medical Statistics and Trials Methodology, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London
Professor Paul Ewings	Director, NIHR Research Design Service, Taunton and Somerset NHS Foundation Trust
Professor Amanda Farrin	Professor of Clinical Trials, Leeds Institute of Clinical Trials Research, University of Leeds
Professor William Hollingworth	Professor of Health Economics, School of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol
Dr Susan Jowett	Reader in Health Economics, Institute for Applied Health Research, University of Birmingham
Mrs Deborah Keatley	Public board member
Associate Professor Rebecca Kearney	Associate Professor (Clinical), Trauma and Orthopaedic Rehabilitation, University of Warwick
Associate Professor Sally Hopewell	Senior Trialist, Oxford Clinical Trials Research Unit, University of Oxford
Professor Peter Langhorne	Professor of Stroke Care and Geriatric Medicine, ICAMS, Glasgow Royal Infirmary
Associate Professor Daniel Lasserson	Senior Clinical Researcher, Medical Sciences Division, University of Oxford
Dr Jennifer Logue	Clinical Senior Lecturer in Metabolic Medicine, Institute of Cardiovascular and Medical Sciences, University of Glasgow
Professor Alan Montgomery	Professor of Medical Statistics and Clinical Trials, University of Nottingham
Mr Thomas Pinkney	Senior Lecturer and Consultant Colorectal Surgeon, Academic Department of Surgery, University of Birmingham
Associate Professor Daniel Prieto-Alhambra	Associate Professor & NIHR Clinician Scientist, NDORMS, University of Oxford
Dr Kathryn Radford	Associate Professor in Rehabilitation Research (Long Term Conditions), Queen's Medical Centre, University of Nottingham
Dr Athanasios Saratzis	NIHR Academic Clinical Lecturer in Surgery (Vascular), Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, Leicester University
Professor Sharon Simpson	Professor of Behavioural Sciences and Health, MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, University of Glasgow
Professor Stephanie Taylor	Professor in Public Health and Primary Care, Barts and the Queen Mary’s School of Medicine and Dentistry
Ms Gail Thornton	Public board member
Professor Douglas Tincello	Professor of Urogynaecology, Department of Health Sciences, University of Leicester
Professor Edwin Van Teijlingen	Professor of Reproductive Health Research, Bournemouth University
Professor Scott Weich	Professor of Psychiatry, University of Warwick

HTA General Board

Chair	Organisation
Professor Andrew Farmer	Professor of General Practice, Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford

Deputy Chair	Organisation
Professor John Norrie	Chair of Medical Statistics and Trial Methodology, Director of Edinburgh Clinical Trials Unit (CTU) University of Edinburgh

Member	Organisation
Professor Julie Brittenden	Professor of Vascular Surgery, Institute of Cardiovascular and Medical Sciences, University of Glasgow
Mr Alan Chant	Public board member
Professor Mike Clark	Director of MRC Methodology Hub, School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences, Queen’s University Belfast
Professor Mike Crawford	Professor in Mental Health Research, Imperial College London
Professor Matt Costa	Professor of Orthopaedic Trauma Surgery, Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology, and Musculoskeletal Sciences, University of Oxford
Dr Peter Coventry	Senior Lecturer in Health Services Research, University of York
Dr Fay Crawford	Senior Research Advisor, Research and Development, NHS Fife
Professor Rumona Dickson	Professor of Health Services Research, Institute Psychology, Health and Society, University of Liverpool
Professor Kerry Hood	Director of the Centre for Trials Research, College of Biomedical & Life Sciences, Cardiff University
Professor Nick James	Director of the Cancer Research Centre, Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick
Professor Julia Lawton	Professor of Health and Social Science, Usher Institute of Population Health Sciences and Informatics, University of Edinburgh
Professor Steff Lewis	Personal Chair in Medical Statistics,  University of Edinburgh
Professor Danny McAuley	Professor of Intensive Care Medicine, Centre for Infection and Immunity, Queen's University Belfast
Professor Rumana Omar	Professor of Medical Statistics, Department of Statistical Science, University College London
Professor Rupert Pearse	Professor and Consultant in Intensive Care Medicine, Queen Marys University of London
Professor Mark Peters	Professor of Paediatric Intensive Care, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health
Professor Craig Ramsay	Professor of Health Care Evaluation, Director of the Health Services Research Unit, University of Aberdeen
Dr Matthew Ridd	Consultant Senior Lecturer in Primary Health Care, School of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol
Dr Howard Ring	Consultant & University Lecturer in Psychiatry, University of Cambridge
Mrs Amanda Roberts	Public board member
Professor Christine Roffe	Consultant in Stroke Medicine, Keele University
Dr Marc Serfaty	Reader in Psychiatry, Faculty of Brain Sciences, University College London
Dr Sarah Stock	Senior Clinical Lecturer in Maternal and Fetal Health, MRC Centre for Reproductive Health, University of Edinburgh
Dr Andrew Sutton	Associate Professor in Decision Analytic Modelling, Leeds Institute of Health Sciences, University of Leeds
Dr Sara Twaddle	Director of Evidence, Healthcare Improvement Scotland
Professor Olivia Wu	Professor in Health Technology Assessments, Institute of Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow

Our committees

The HTA Programme is supported by three advisory committees and one prioritisation group.  These will cover the programme’s remit to fund research about the clinical and cost-effectiveness and broader impact of healthcare treatments and tests for those who plan, provide or receive care from NHS and social care services.

Prioritisation Committee A

This committee will advise on the development of topics from across the HTA remit but will have strengths in out of hospital care.

Chair	Organisation
Dr Kamal Mahtani	Deputy Director of the Centre of Evidence Based Medicine, University of Oxford and a GP

Member	Organisation
Dr Una Adderley	Lecturer in Community Nursing, University of Leeds
Mrs Susan Boex	Public Member
Professor Paul Brocklehurst	Professor of Health Services Research, Bangor University
Professor Chris Burton	Professor of Primary Medical Care, University of Sheffield and Academic Unit of Primary Medical Care, Northern General Hospital, Sheffield
Dr Elizabeth Cottrell	GP and Research Fellow, Keele University
Dr Sam Creavin	Senior Clinical Research Fellow, University of Bristol
Professor Peter Crome	Honorary Professor, University College London
Professor Francis Fatoye	Reader in Physiotherapy, Manchester Metropolitan University
Professor David Fitzmaurice	Professor of Primary Care Research, University of Warwick
Professor Margot Gosney	Consultant in Elderly Care Medicine, Royal Berkshire Hospital
Dr Michelle Hall	Assistant Professor Physiotherapy, University of Nottingham
Dr Tess Harris	Professor in Primary Care and GP, St George's, University of London
Dr Steve Holmes	GP, The Park Medical Centre, Shepton Mallet
Dr Eve Hutton	Reader in Children & Young People’s Health & Wellbeing, Canterbury Christ Church University
Miss Emily Lam	Public Member
Dr James Larcombe	Principle and Partner, Skerne Medical Practice
Mr Michael Larkin	Public Member
Dr Adam Mackridge	Pharmacist, Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, Wales
Professor Suzanne Martin	Professor of Occupational Therapy, Ulster University
Miss Eloise Phillips	Advanced Nurse Practitioner, Birmingham Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
Dr Marlise Poolman	Clinical Senior Lecturer in Palliative Medicine, North Wales Clinical School, Bangor University
Ms Helen Ramsbottom	Public Member
Dr Sarah Slight	Reader in Pharmacy Practice, Newcastle University
Mr Stephen Thomas	Public Member
Mr Andrew Thorpe	Consultant Urologist, The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Ms Sarah Tyrie	Public Member
Dr Victoria Tzortziou Brown	GP and Clinical Lecturer, Queen Mary University of London (Joint Deputy Chair)
Dr Geoff Wong	Senior Lecturer in Primary Care, University of Oxford (Joint Deputy Chair)

Prioritisation Committee B

This committee will advise on the development of topics from across the HTA remit but will have strengths in inside hospital care.

Chair	Organisation
Professor Andrew Bradbury	Consultant Vascular Surgeon, Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust , Birmingham

Member	Organisation
Dr Dianne Addei	Lead Consultant in Public Health Medicine, NHS England Specialised Commissioning Team, London
Mr Richard Ballerand	Public Member
Dr Owen Boyd	Consultant in Intensive Care and Anaesthesia, Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals
Dr Daniele Bryden	Consultant in Critical Care Medicine & Anaesthesia, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Professor Michael Callaghan	Professor of Clinical Physiotherapy, Manchester Metropolitan University
Professor Usha Chakravarthy	Professor of Ophthalmology, The Queen’s University of Belfast Trust
Dr Pratima Chowdary	Consultant Haematologist, Royal Free Hospital
Professor Simon Conroy	Geriatrician and Honorary Professor, University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust
Mr Ravi De Silva	Consultant Cardiothoracic Surgeon, Papworth Hospital, Cambridge
Dr Anthony De Soyza	Senior Lecturer and Honorary Consultant, Newcastle University
Miss Alisen Dube	Senior Nurse, Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership NHS Trust
Professor Jeremy Fairbank	Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon, Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre and University of Oxford
Dr James Frith	Senior Clinical Lecturer, University of Newcastle
Professor Mark Gabbay	Professor of General Practice and Head of Department, Health Services Research, University of Liverpool
Professor Fang Gao	Professor of Anaesthesia, Critical Care and Pain, University of Birmingham
Mr Roger Gibb	Public Member
Professor Peter Hutchinson	Professor of Neurosurgery and Honorary Consultant Neurosurgeon, University of Cambridge and Addenbrook's
Ms Emma Kinloch	Public Member
Dr Anne Knowland	Public Member
Dr Harpreet Kohli	Director of Public Health and Health Policy, NHS Lanarkshire
Professor Mamas Mamas	Professor of Interventional Cardiology, Keele University
Dr Ronan McMullan	Consultant & Senior Lecturer, Queens University Belfast
Dr Benjamin O’Brien	Clinical Director and Professor of Perioperative Medicine, St Bartholomew's Hospital & Barts Heart Centre, and Barts Health NHS Trust
Miss Priya Patel	Darzi Fellow - Multiprofessional Foundation Training, Health Education England
Mr Anil Reddy	Robotic Colorectal Surgeon, Honorary Senior Lecturer, James Cook University Hospital and Newcastle University
Dr Edward Roddy	Clinical Senior Lecturer in Rheumatology and Honorary Consultant Rheumatologist, Keele University
Professor Rob Sayers	Professor of Vascular Surgery, Leicester Royal Infirmary
Professor David Sebag-Montefiore	Audrey and Stanley Burton Professor of Clinical Oncology, University of Leeds and Leeds Cancer Centre (Deputy Chair)
Mr Paul Skaife	Consultant General and Colorectal Surgeon, University Hospital Aintree
Dr Peter Watkinson	Consultant Intensive Care Physician, University of Oxford
Professor Phil White	Professor of Interventional and Diagnostic Neuroradiology, Newcastle University
Dr Hilary Williams	Consultant in Medical Oncology, Velindre Cancer Centre

Prioritisation Committee C

This committee will advise on the development of topics from across the HTA remit but will have strengths in mental health and women and children’s health.

Chair	Organisation
Dr Ira Madan	Consultant and Honorary Reader in Occupational Medicine

Member	Organisation
Professor Marios Adamou	Consultant Psychiatrist, South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
Dr Elizabeth Bailey	Midwife Research Fellow, University Hospitals Coventry & Warwickshire NHS Trust
Professor Sube Banerjee	Professor of Dementia & Associate Dean, Brighton and Sussex Medical School, University of Sussex
Mrs Marilyn Brass	Public Member
Dr Marta Buszewicz	Reader in Primary Care, Part-time GP, University College London Medical School
Dr Meena Choudhary	Consultant Gynaecologist & Sub Specialist in Reproductive Medicine, Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Trust
Dr David Christmas	Consultant in Liaison Psychiatry, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust
Professor Justin Clark	Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist, University of Birmingham
Dr Moira Connolly	Consultant in Psychiatry, NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde (Joint Deputy Chair)
Dr Peter Danielian	Consultant in Obstetrics, Aberdeen Maternity Hospital
Dr Bernadka Dubicka	Honorary Reader and Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist, University of Manchester
Professor Paul French	Associate Director, Psychosis Research Unit, Greater Manchester West Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust
Miss Fiona Gilchrist	Senior Lecturer and Honorary Consultant in Paediatric Dentistry, University of Sheffield
Professor Jonathan Grigg	Professor of Paediatric Respiratory and Environmental Medicine, Queen Mary University of London
Dr Rebecca Harmston	Public Member
Professor Priscilla Harries	Professor of Occupational Therapy and Head of Department, Brunel University London
Professor Richard Holt	Professor in Diabetes and Endocrinology and Honorary Consultant Physician, University of Southampton
Professor Oliver Howes	Professor of Molecular Psychiatry, King's College London
Dr Artemis Igoumenou	Clinical Lecturer in Forensic Psychiatry, Queen Mary University, London
Professor Sara Kenyon	Professor in Evidence Based Maternity Care, University of Birmingham
Dr Nina Kolehmainen	Senior Research Fellow and Honorary Consultant Allied Health Professional, University of Newcastle
Mrs Julia Melluish	Public Member
Dr Richard Reading	Consultant Community Paediatrician, Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital
Professor Maggie Redshaw	Senior Research Fellow, Social Scientist, University of Oxford
Professor John Rose	Director of Forensic Clinical Psychology, University of Birmingham
Miss Mandy Rudczenko	Public Member
Professor Roz Shafran	Chair in Translational Psychology, University College London
Dr Dimitrios Siassakos	Reader (Associate Professor) of Obstetrics, University College London and University College Hospital
Mrs Polly Smith	Public Member
Dr Lyvonne Tume	Associate Professor in Child Health (Intensive Care Nursing), The University of the West of England, Bristol (Joint Deputy Chair)
Dr Martin Ward-Platt	Consultant Paediatrician (neonatal medicine), Honorary Clinical Reader in Neonatal and Paediatric Medicine, Royal Victoria Infirmary Newcastle and Clinical Director, Regional Maternity Survey office, Public Health England
Dr Nat Wright	Clinical Research Director, Transform Research Alliance, Spectrum Communtiy Health CIC and Visiting Associate Professor, Leeds University
Dr Simon Wright	GP, Partner in Practise, Walkden Medical Centre, Manchester

Prioritisation Group

Prioritisation Group (PG) is responsible for oversight and approval of commissioning briefs recommended for research by the prioritisation committees.  The group is also responsible for ratifying and ranking proposals recommended by the programme’s funding boards for submission to the Department of Health for final decision and approval.

Chair	Organisation
Professor Hywel Williams	Director of HTA Programme, NIHR

Deputy Chair	Organisation
Professor Deborah Ashby	Deputy Head of the School of Public Health, Co-Director of Imperial Clinical Trials Unit, Chair in Medical Statistics and Clinical Trials, Imperial College London

Members	Organisation
Professor Andrew Bradbury	Sampson Gamgee Professor of Vascular Surgery and Director of Quality Assurance and Enhancement, University of Birmingham
Professor Peter Brocklehurst	Professor of Women’s Health, Director, Birmingham Clinical Trials Unit, University of Birmingham
Professor Andrew Farmer	Professor of General Practice, University of Oxford
Professor Ray Fitzpatrick	Professor of Public Health and Primary Care, University of Oxford
Professor Steve Goodacre	Professor and Consultant in Emergency Medicine, University of Sheffield
Mrs Alison Ledward	Public Contributor
Dr Ira Madan	Consultant and Honorary Reader in Occupational Medicine, Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation  Trust and King's College London
Dr Kamal Mahtani	GP & Deputy Director, Centre for Evidence Based Medicine,  University of Oxford
Mrs Catherine White	Public Contributor

 

Reviewers

To assure the scientific quality of its research, the HTA Programme relies upon the help of external reviewers to review:

• the research and commissioning briefs it produces
• the research proposals it receives
• the final reports of research findings

External reviewers play a vital part in maintaining and improving the quality of HTA Programme research and are sought from a variety of fields, including clinical, methodological and those who use NHS services.

View a list of HTA 2017 reviewers.