Become a member of the COPD update Guideline Development Group

The National Collaborating Centre for Chronic Conditions (NCC-CC) is based at the Royal College of Physicians. It is a multi-disciplinary collaboration that accepts commissions from the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) to develop clinical management guidelines for the NHS. Applicants are currently being sought for the Guideline Development Group (GDG) for the partial update of the Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease guideline.

Members are drawn from the NHS, healthcare professionals, patients and carers, industry and academia. They do not represent their organisations but are selected for their expertise and judgment.

Responsibilities of this role

The GDG will meet monthly to discuss the evidence base on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in the areas which have been identified for update and, using their collective expertise and experience, interpret the findings and formulate recommendations for the NHS. They will be supported by an in-house technical team who will search for and appraise the evidence.

Membership

We are seeking applicants from the following clinical backgrounds (patient and carer representatives can apply through the NICE Patient and Public Involvement Programme (PPIP):

• 2 x consultants in respiratory medicine
• 1 x respiratory nurse specialist
• 1 x nurse without special interest
• 1 x general practitioner with special interest in respiratory medicine
• 1 x general practitioner without special interest

Prospective group members must be adept at:

• Using their knowledge and expertise of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease to provide guidance to the in-house technical team who carry out literature searches, critical appraisal of the evidence base, and health economic modelling.
• Providing assistance when formulating recommendations in the light of the evidence base.
• Advising how to identify best practice where the evidence base is absent, weak or equivocal.
• Reading all relevant documents and make constructive comments or proposals at all meetings attended.
• Contributing constructively and acknowledging the equal legitimacy of contributions from every group member at each of the regular GDG meetings in central London.

Time commitment and conditions

All the members of the GDG will be required to attend an induction meeting in London on 26th November 2008 and then a monthly meeting (occurring on Wednesdays). The total project is expected to span no longer than 18 months. They will also be expected to read a substantial amount of paperwork summarising the evidence base in advance of each meeting.

How to apply

For further information about what the role involves please use the links below:

• Role description and person specification
• Feedback for applicants
• Recruitment pack (which includes links to all relevant forms and policies)

Your completed application should include:

• A short CV
• A statement explaining how you meet the criteria laid out in the person specification (max 1 page)
• A completed equalities monitoring form
• A completed declarations of interest form
• Names and contact information for two referees who we may contact

Please email completed applications to taryn.krause@rcplondon.ac.uk

Closing date for applications: Thursday 20 October 2008

For further information please contact:

Taryn Krause
Project Manager
National Collaborating Centre for Chronic Conditions
Royal College of Physicians
11 St Andrews Place
Regent’s Park
London
NW1 4LE

NICE is committed to the values of equality and diversity and welcomes applications from all sections of the community.