Recruitment is now open for the 2016 intake of NICE Fellows and Scholars, as part of the NICE programme which recognises the achievement and promise of professionals who are working to improve the quality of care. NICE Fellows and Scholars benefit from professional development opportunities and get to network with like-minded colleagues from different disciplines across the UK.

Elizabeth Robb is a senior special care dentist, and has just completed 3 years as a NICE Fellow.  She comments: “It has been a wonderful 3 years, the support of everyone at NICE at all levels has been excellent. It has also been one of the most efficient organisations I have ever had the pleasure of dealing with in my career, and I have been very impressed. I would urge any professional who is considering joining the scheme to absolutely go for it. It broadens horizons, the workshops are of the highest calibre with some excellent speakers, and the opportunity to attend the NICE annual conference is a real bonus.”

Professor Gillian Leng, deputy chief executive and director of health and social care at NICE, said: “Becoming a NICE Fellow or Scholar is a wonderful opportunity for health and social care professionals to understand more about how NICE works and the services we provide. Now in its seventh year, the programme has gone from strength to strength, and previous participants of the programme are actively using their experience and knowledge gained to improve health and social care, both locally and at a national level.” 

NICE Fellowships are awarded to senior health and social care leaders (for example, trust, social care, clinical, public health and service directors), and senior consultants (both medical and non-medical), as well as finance directors of NHS trusts, directors of nursing, senior GPs with clinical or commissioning lead roles, and senior academics.  NICE Fellows are expected to:

•  Act as a UK-wide NICE ambassador for 3 years among professional groups and peers.

•  Support and maintain the connection between NICE and health and social care experts.

•  Access expertise across our programmes through a series of workshops.

•  Engage with senior staff at NICE and in the health and social care sector.

•  Help NICE improve and promote the quality of health and social care.

•  Develop new ways of working in health and social care.

NICE Scholarships are typically awarded to specialist registrars, senior nurses, pharmacists and allied health professionals, service improvement leads, public health and social care specialists and health service managers. NICE also welcomes applications from senior social workers, registrars, senior nurses and midwifes and commissioning managers.  NICE Scholars undertake a supported improvement project, related to NICE guidance, within their local organisation. They are expected to:

•  Act as local ambassadors for 12 months for clinical and public health and social care excellence.

•  Promote the principles and the recommendations of NICE guidance - through teaching activities, for example.

The positions are not paid, but NICE will meet all reasonable expenses (e.g. travel and accommodation) for NICE Fellows and Scholars undertaking NICE-related activities.

Interested health and social care professionals can apply online  and completed applications must be submitted to NICE by 5pm on Friday 13 November 2015. Successful applicants will formally begin their fellowships or scholarships on Friday 1 April 2016.

Ends

For more information, please contact the NICE press office on 0300 323 0142 / pressoffice@nice.org.uk or out of hours on 07775 583813.

Notes to editors

About the NICE Fellowships and Scholarships

1. For further information about NICE Fellowships and NICE Scholarships, please visit: www.nice.org.uk/get-involved/fellows-and-scholars
2. Enquiries from potential applicants should be submitted to lucy.scarle@nice.org.uk
3. NICE Fellowships are awarded to senior health, public health and social care leaders who act as ambassadors for NICE at regional and national levels and among their professional groups and peers. They support NICE in the implementation of its guidance. NICE Fellows will have opportunities to contribute to the Institute’s guidance programmes and initiatives; for example, in developing support tools for specific pieces of guidance, or contributing to high-level discussions about issues of quality and leadership. NICE will award 10 Fellowships to disciplines including – but not limited to –  NHS Trust and social care directors, senior consultants (medical and non-medical), heads of services, senior allied health professionals, directors of adults’ and children’s services, senior practitioners, policy managers, directors/managers of residential care homes and senior academics.
4. NICE Scholarships present unique learning opportunities for professionals to find out about the inner workings of NICE and how the organisation helps settings implement its guidance. NICE Scholars must undertake a project about the delivery of high-quality care during their tenure; for example, on the implementation of, or audit of, a specific piece of NICE guidance. Projects should take approximately 7.5 hours a week over the year. NICE will award 10 Scholarships to disciplines including – but not limited to – specialist registrars, pharmacists, managers, public health specialists, allied health professionals, matrons, specialist nurses,  practice development and education nurses, senior social workers, senior social services professionals and service improvement leads.