Date
Wednesday 12 July, 2023
Venue
The Wesley Hotel and Conference Centre, 81-103 Euston Street, London, NW1 2EZ
Microsoft Teams hybrid accessibility
ESPPAG members
Lesley Stewart (Programme Director, Chair)
Phil Alderson
Mike Batley
Deborah Caldwell
Yen-Fu Chen
Josie Jackson
Toby Lasserson
Jeyanthi John
Aden Kwok (Public Committee Member)
Catriona Manville
Anne-Marie Glenny
Peter McMeekin (virtual attendance)
Julie Simpson (virtual attendance)
Malcolm Turner (Public Committee Member)
Robert Walton
Observers
Jenna Dilkes
Secretariat
Sally Bailey
Kim Cartledge
Mark Townsend
Sofia Araujo-Betancor (virtual attendance)
Rob Squire
Andy Wood
Ruth Swire (virtual attendance)
Apologies
Michael Bowdery
Declan Devane
James Morris
Tony Pounder
Clive Wolsley
Welcome and introductions
LS welcomed everyone to the meeting and invited introductions from members. Apologies were noted as above.
LS briefly highlighted the ESPPAG remit and terms of reference, with members having read them in advance. LS reminded members about confidentiality and that if conflicts of interest arise, these should be declared.
NIHR ESP reconfiguration and strategic direction
LS provided an update on the changes that have been implemented across the Evidence Synthesis Programme (ESP) over the last 18 months:
- Cochrane Review Group (CRG) contracts ended in March 2023. Evidence Synthesis Programme Grant and Incentive Award calls have also ended
- A new Evidence Synthesis Group (ESG) workstream has been established to work alongside the Technology Assessment Reviews (TARs) workstream
- LS outlinedthecommissioningprocessfortheESGs and the premise of the contracts
- Nine ESGs have been awarded five-year contracts (2023-2028)
- ESGs have been commissioned on a call-off contract basis, where teams are allocated projects depending on the capacity available, rather than a commissioning process per project
- The ESP has been building relationships with stakeholders in order to develop and receive topics that ESGs will address
- LS thanked and acknowledged the ESP team for the development of the contracts and the associated processes
The ESP Logic Model was sent to members in advance and was outlined briefly by LS. The logic model underpins the way the Programme works, and helps to demonstrate the Programme’s resources, activities, and its intended effects.
Evidence Synthesis Group (ESG) activity
SAB provided an update on ESG activity, specifically on the stakeholders offering topic suggestions, and how topics are being prioritised. The first Prioritisation Subgroup meeting took place in April 2023, and will be held every two months.
The first three ESG reviews have been completed and will feed into a NICE Guideline on acute respiratory infection. Eight other topics are currently at the scoping and development stage.
Projects will be registered on PROSPERO and protocols published on the NIHR Funding & Awards website. PROSPERO is currently being re-developed, to include a facility to upload full protocols.
Members discussed the importance of not duplicating research. LS advised that the ESP continues to explore where evidence synthesis is funded in other areas within the NIHR, and SAB advised that wider overlap checks take place when topics are suggested and prioritised.
Members also discussed the prioritisation process and how research gaps encourage prioritisation decisions. LS advised that stakeholders explore research gaps when suggesting topics.
LS advised that four cross-ESG working groups have been established to identify and propose best-practice ways of working. The groups are time limited and will focus on PPI, automation and technological advancements, SWAR, and EDI, with skill sharing being a key feature. It was suggested that researchers would benefit from enhanced PPI engagement advice to help inform topic suggestions.
Technology Assessment Reports (TARs) activity
KC provided background information and an update on the TARs workstream and its operational processes. Eleven TAR teams are funded by the NIHR to provide NICE with independent academic critiques of company submissions making the case for the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of new medicines and devices that they wish to be funded within the NHS. These independent evaluations of company evidence feed directly into and inform the decisions made by NICE committees.
Members discussed the different types of TAR reviews, with Single Technology Appraisals more commonly required by NICE than Multiple Technology Appraisals or Diagnostic Assessments. A new model being piloted is Pathways and these are viewed as offering a streamlined way of reviewing multiple drugs for one indication by developing a model that could be added to on an ongoing basis as new drugs gain market approval.
JD provided information on TARs from a NICE perspective and advised how changes and developments in NICE processes can impact TAR activity. The main driver is to make medicines and devices available to patients as soon as possible after licensing.
Members discussed the new products and processes being implemented by NICE to cut time and resources, in order to publish new guidance earlier at an increased volume.
KC presented information about the ESP’s slot allocation model, which enables the team to allocate topics more effectively. YFC and DC agreed this new process is helpful overall.
Updates and News from Key Stakeholders/ESPPAG members
Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC)
MB provided an update from DHSC. Ministers are keen to identify research that best demonstrates impact to patients and the public. Evidence synthesis is of particular interest and any examples of impact would be welcome.
Devolved administrations
JoJa provided an update on behalf of the Welsh Government, advising that the Health and Care Research Wales Evidence Centre has now launched, targeting research in health and social care settings, and meeting the needs of Welsh policy and practice. Some broad topics are underway, with two prioritisation exercises taking place per year with potential for some of these to feed into the ESP.
JS provided an update on behalf of the Scottish Government, reporting that it has suggested one topic to the ESP so far, which is now being developed with the ABEC ESG, with more topics upcoming. Clinical Research Networks and Government policy makers are being asked to increase suggestions for research topics.
Northern Ireland representatives sent their apologies.
NICE Guidelines
PA summarised the way in which NICE operates, highlighting that to date, there are over 300 published guidelines that address the clinical and cost-effectiveness of interventions for specific issues. Faster access to new treatments and a faster response to new research remains a key NICE value.
Association of Medical Research Charities (AMRC)
CM gave an overview of the AMRC and its 151 member charities. The main aim is to support and champion the charity sector, with a patient-centred approach. Charities have invested £15.7bn into research over the past ten years. Charities often work collaboratively, with 1 in 8 grants being co-funded and 63% of member charities funding research with another. It was noted that there could be reciprocated benefit of the AMRC and ESP working together.
Cochrane
TL provided a background on Cochrane, a not-for-profit organisation that supports and conducts health related evidence syntheses. Cochrane has implemented a refreshed approach whereby topic suggestions and all reviews will be submitted directly to the Central Editorial Service. Further information on Cochrane changes is available.
Open science and data sharing within ESP
LS informed members that all outputs are required to be published open access.
Members discussed commitment to open data and methods of data sharing, such as using repositories for data generated through ESGs, in order to make data reusable and minimise research waste. Discussion of open-source economic models developed as part of the NICE pathways pilot led to a discussion on Intellectual Property (IP), and to highlight to researchers as well as institutions the need to identify, protect and make use of IP derived from projects.
JoJa mentioned CEEDER (Collaboration for Environmental Evidence Database of Evidence Reviews), a database of evidence syntheses (consisting of environmental topics), aimed at policy makers and practitioners. Researchers are praised for using repeatable, replicable methods, which offers greater potential for increased impact.
Any other business and close
LS thanked all attendees for coming and asked members about format preferences for future meetings. The group was happy with in-person meetings, but sufficient notice and continued hybrid accessibility is required. It was agreed to host winter meetings virtually, and summer meetings in-person.
The meeting was brought to a close.