Sefton LINk News

Following on from our first update in February, I’m happy to follow on with this second one. As always please don’t hesitate to contact me if you would like to discuss any part of this update with me. Also, we would really appreciate you sending this to any of your members that my find the content useful.

Patient and Public Involvement Policy

We have recently revised and updated our policy on how we involve patients, carers and members of the public, a copy of which can be found on our website - http://www.nice.org.uk/getinvolved/patientandpublicinvolvement/patientandpublicinvolvementpolicy/patient_and_public_involvement_policy.jsp.  The policy has a clear ‘mission statement’ about why NICE values and supports patient and public involvement, includes details of how patients, carers and members of the public can work with us, and the support available to them.

Commissioning Outcomes Framework (COF) Advisory Committee

We are happy to announce that we will shortly be piloting a new advisory committee in conjunction with our Quality Standards programme. The Committee will be made up of a chair and around 25 health professionals, patients and lay members, and its main functions will be to:

• Review indicators developed from NICE Quality Standards against interim prioritisation criteria set by the Department of Health.
• Consider the relative priority of indicators developed from Quality Standards and recommend which indicators should proceed for further development, including testing and public consultation.
• Consider the results of indicator development for those indicators developed from Quality Standards.
• Consider the results of consultation for those indicators developed from Quality Standards.
• Consider the results of the equality impact assessment for those indicators developed from Quality Standards.
• Make recommendations on which indicators should be published on the NICE menu for the COF, following development, for consideration by the NHS Commissioning Board for use within the COF.

We are going recruit a minimum of 3 lay members – we would appreciate if you could if pass this onto anyone who might be interested, I’ve put more information about the position below:

Title: Lay Member of the Commissioning Outcomes Framework (COF) Advisory Committee
How you can get involved: We would welcome an application from you if you have: Experience of representing patient, carer or public experiences and perspectives relating to health and healthcare outcomes. Experience of working with academic literature together with a willingness to consider patient outcome data, from both quantitative and qualitative sources. Ability to make balanced and impartial decisions (sometimes difficult ones) often in the absence of conclusive evidence. An understanding of patient/carer issues in relation to health and healthcare. Experience of working in committees, ideally with a wide range of healthcare professionals. Time to commit to the work of the Committee: attending meetings, time to do background reading, comment on draft products for the Committee and other work as decided by the Committee.	What your involvement will entail: Lay members take full part in the decision-making function of the Committee. They also play a key role in helping to ensure that patient, carer and public views and experiences inform Committee discussions and the decisions that the committee makes. The appointment of Committee members will be for an initial period of 1 year (2011-2012). Committee members will be expected to be available on the dates specified in this advert. There will be an introductory session to the Committee on 14th July 2011 prior to the Committee’s first formal meeting. The first meeting of the Committee is planned for 16th September2011 with a second meeting expected for Summer 2012. Meetings will be held once per year. Meetings will be held at the NICE offices either in Manchester or central London. Patient and carer members of the Committee will be offered an attendance fee which can be paid directly to you. If you are employed by a patient, carer or voluntary organisation, it may be possible to make the payment to your organisation instead. Travel and subsistence will also be reimbursed.
If you are interested in applying for the group please visit the recruitment page or contact David Bevan (david.bevan@nice.org.uk) for more information.  The deadline for applications is: 15 April 2011	Topic area: Standing committee

Recently published guidelines

Title: Chronic kidney disease quality standard
Summary: A Quality Standard on Identification, assessment and clinical management of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in adults including the management of established renal failure.
Patient and Public version of  guideline can be found here	Disease area: Kidney

Title: Alzheimer's disease - donepezil, galantamine, rivastigmine and memantine
Summary: This guidance replaces NICE technology appraisal guidance 111 issued in November 2006 (amended September 2007, August 2009). ·         The review and re-appraisal of donepezil, galantamine, rivastigmine and memantine for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease has resulted in a change in the guidance. Specifically: ·         donepezil, galantamine and rivastigmine are now recommended as options for managing mild as well as moderate Alzheimer’s disease, and memantine is now recommended as an option for managing moderate Alzheimer’s disease for people who cannot take AChE inhibitors, and as an option for managing severe Alzheimer’s disease.
Patient and Public version of  guideline can be found here	Disease area: Mental health and behavioural conditions

Title: Increasing the uptake of HIV testing among men who have sex with men
Summary: This guidance is for NHS and other commissioners, managers and practitioners who have a direct or indirect role in, and responsibility for, increasing the uptake of HIV testing among men who have sex with men. This includes those working in local authorities and the wider public, private, voluntary and community sectors. It will also be of interest to members of the public, in particular men who have sex with men.
Patient and Public version of  guideline can be found here	Disease area: Diagnostic procedures ,Infectious diseases and Public health

Opportunities for involvement

Title: Service user, parent or carer member of the Guideline Development Group looking at the diagnosis and treatment of social anxiety disorder
How you can get involved: experience or knowledge of social anxiety disorder for example, as someone who: has experience of having social anxiety disorder themselves or who is the relative or partner of someone who has experienced social anxiety disorder or who is a policy officer from a relevant patient organisation	What your involvement will entail: You will sit on a guideline development group (GDG) that is responsible for the content and writing of the guideline. The GDG will meet about every 4 to 6 weeks over about 18 months. Patient and carer members are offered payment for attending guideline group meetings, and reasonable expenses are reimbursed
If you are interested in applying for the group please visit the recruitment page or contact David Bevan (david.bevan@nice.org.uk) for more information.  The deadline for applications is: 19 April 2011	Topic area: Mental health and behavioural conditions

David Bevan

Coordinator, Patient & Public Involvement Programme
National Institute for Health and Clinical ExcellenceMidCity Place | 71 High Holborn | London WC1V 6NA | United Kingdom

Tel: 020 7045 2051 | Fax: 020 7061 9828
Web: http://nice.org.uk/