Public Health England hosts the UK National Screening Committee, which annually calls for proposals for new screening topics. Anyone can submit a proposal using a template form by January 9th. Successful proposals are externally assessed based on the supporting evidence provided. Proposals that merit further investigation based on available evidence may be selected to undergo more in-depth review through the normal screening committee process. The goal is to provide transparency around how new screening topics are proposed and selected in the UK.

1. Public Health England hosts the UK National Screening Committee
Annual call for new screening
topics
Dr Anne Mackie

2. Annual Call for new screening topics
WHAT?
3-month opportunity for new screening topics to be proposed
WHO?
Anyone can submit a proposal!
WHEN?
Annual call commenced in September, and closes 9th Jan ’17.
This is a pilot.
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3. WHY?
• Provide a clear and simple process of proposing new topics
• Maximise transparency in how we choose topics
• Follows model used in Sweden and USA
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4. How to submit a proposal?
Use template form and send to the UK NSC Evidence team.
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Condition
Treatment
RCT
Evidence?
Flowchart
Test

5. Don’t forget!
Use only peer-reviewed literature to support the proposal
A maximum of 10 references to be provided
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6. What happens when
we receive the
proposal?
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7. 1. Relevance to the UK NSC remit
The UK NSC Evidence team will conduct a preliminary check to:
1. Ensure the proposal is within the remit of the UK NSC
2. Ensure the submission form guidelines were followed
3. Check that a flowchart has been completed to estimate the outcomes of
screening
If the proposal does not meet the remit of the UKNSC (eg is a clinical management
programme ) or the information on the form does not allow for an assessment of the
case then, following agreement with the Chair, the Secretariat will write to the
applicant and inform them that the proposal will not be taken any further.
Successful proposals are taken to the next stage.
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8. 2: External assessment / triage
If the proposal does fit the remit (eg a whole population screening proposal and
the form provides sufficient relevant information and a flow chart) then the next
stage is triggered
The form and the references will be sent to an external organisation to allow for
further detailed consideration. Three keys questions will be asked :
1. Do the references in the proposal support the statements?
2. What type of evidence supports the proposal ?
3. Will the proposal benefit from further investigation?
In order to better understand the answer to the last question the external
assessors may do a further search in the scientific literature to see the amount
and type of evidence that is available.
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9. Consideration of the external assessment
report
The summary from the external assessor is returned and a group will meet to:
• consider the submission and the external assessment report
• make a recommendation to the UK NSC on which proposals merit further
work up.
UK NSC makes final decision on what goes forward.
If the proposal does not have sufficient published evidence to mean further
review would be worthwhile then the Secretariat will write to the proposer with a
summary of the work and the reasons for not taking the proposal any further.
If there is sufficient published evidence then the Secretariat will commission
more detailed evidence work in the normal process. The proposer will be
informed.
We will publish a list of all topics received and the outcome
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