NICE 2001/ 024

Issued: 23 July 2001

The National Institute for Clinical Excellence is pleased to announce the appointment of two new members of staff. Marian Hodges and Laura Price have taken up the two new roles of Technical Editor-Writers and are responsible for planning and delivering the editorial process for key Institute publications.

Working across the Institute with a team of technical experts and advisory committees, Marian and Laura hold responsibility for managing and developing the editorial process for key Institute documentation and will contribute to the development of policy and practice in this area.

Anne-Toni Rodgers, Communications Director, said "We are extremely pleased to be welcoming Marian and Laura to NICE. Their range of experience and expertise will be an asset to the Institute, and I know the team is looking forward to working with them."

Ends

1. For the past 10 years Marian Hodges has run a successful business as a freelance medical writer and editor. Marian has worked with many clients in the pharmaceutical and medical communications industries on the production of a wide range of materials, including clinical study reports, journal manuscripts, training materials, meeting reports, and information for patients and health professionals. She also has experience as medical editor on issues of Health Technology Assessment. Marian is a member of the executive committee of the European Medical Writers Association (EMWA). She launched EMWA's very successful website in 1996 and continues as website editor. She is also co-leader of the workshop on editing and proofreading that forms part of EMWA's Professional Development Programme.
   
2. After completing a PhD in Biochemistry, Laura Price joined the medical communications agency The Medicine Group (Education) Ltd as a Medical Writer/Editor in early 1995. Here she produced items from patient information literature to newsletters for specialists. In early 1997, Laura became Managing Editor at Health Press overseeing the entire publishing process, from the commissioning authors to quality checking the finished publication. Since late1998 Laura has been freelance writer and editor working on paper-based and new media publications for a range of audiences and subject areas. She has also continued to work for Health Press on a number of projects, including the books Succeeding as a Hospital Doctor and Succeeding as a GP.