Member | Guidelines Committee

Guidelines Committee Member

Chair, Guidelines Committee

Three years

1. To manage the development, updating and publication of Green-top guidelines as determined by the Clinical Quality Assurance Group and CQ Board.
2. To collaborate with other organisations and co-develop or endorse guidelines, as determined by the Board.
3. To collaborate with other committees on other College activities (e.g. audits, Scientific Advisory Committee papers, scientific meetings, study groups) as determined by the Board.
4. To provide comments on consultation documents, particularly NICE guidelines, quality standards and technology evaluations.

Clinical guidance

1. Review Green-top guidelines – at all stages of development, to take overall responsibility for the content, accuracy and length of the guidance. In particular, ensuring the:
   1. guidance is unbiased
   2. recommendations are realistic and can easily be implemented within the UK
   3. language used for the guidance is clear, unambiguous and can be understood by all O&G professionals, not just the specialist
   4. guidance addresses the scope and does not address areas outside the scope
   5. guidance is internally consistent
   6. guidance is externally consistent with relevant RCOG, national or international guidance, as appropriate
   7. references and underpinning evidence to support the recommendations/statements are accurate and of the highest quality available
   8. grading and evidence levels are in place, consistent and accurate.
2. Provide an expert view when deciding if guidance should be commissioned or not.
3. Submit tabulated comments in a timely manner for every piece of guidance, even those outside your area of expertise.
4. If acting as a lead reviewer, to review all comments from the Committee before they are sent to the developers to address.
5. Liaise directly with developers as and when necessary, occasionally meeting with them if needed.
6. Suggest relevant stakeholders/interested parties to be invited to peer review guidance.
7. Distil the peer review comments to ensure they are not biased or outside the scope and respond to them as necessary.
8. Develop guidance implementation support tools, including but not limited to: guidance summaries, PowerPoint slides and video/audio abstracts.
9. Participate at press release stage.

External consultation documents

1. Review clinical guidance and pathways sent to the Committee for review.
2. Provide a consensus opinion on behalf of the Committee.
3. Act as representative for specific guidance projects or other initiatives.
4. Ensure the external guidance is consistent with RCOG guidance.

• Chair of the Guidelines Committee
• Other Guidelines Committee members
• Guidance developers, particularly the Lead Developer
• Vice President for Clinical Quality
• Director of Clinical Quality
• Members of the Clinical Quality Team, specifically the Editorial Managers, Assistant Editor and Head of Quality Improvement
• Executive Director of Education

The Committee meets four times per year and attendance is mandatory either in person or via video-link. There will also be a significant commitment outside of the meetings to deal with Committee matters and responses to consultations as required. Although it varies throughout the year, as an average, most Committee members find it takes four hours/week (consultant time - one programmed activity/week).

This role reflects the present requirements of the post. As duties and responsibilities change and develop the role description will be reviewed and be subject to amendment in consultation with the post holder.

The role description will be re-evaluated at the end of the term.  A new committee member will be appointed three to six months before the end of the current holder's term of office and they should work closely together during this time in order to facilitate a smooth take-over period.

Essential

• FRCOG/MRCOG
• Registered with a licence to practise with GMC, in good standing
• Substantive consultant in obstetrics and/or gynaecology in UK NHS practice
• Evidence of annual appraisal
• At least one fully completed CPD cycle
• Evidence of equal opportunities and diversity training within previous three years

Essential

• Developed or implemented guidance locally

Desirable

• Peer reviewed RCOG clinical guidance
• Implemented RCOG clinical guidance locally
• Developed RCOG clinical guidance

• Clear demonstration of a commitment to improving women’s health relevant to the Guidelines Committee
• Conversant with the activities and reporting structure of the Guidelines Committee
• Understanding of role of the Guidelines Committee
• Knowledge of the RCOG’s Strategic and Operational Plans
• Good communicator as evidenced by past publications and presentations
• Agreement from host organisation to be released to fulfil roles
• Flexibility
• Keep items discussed confidential
• Prepared to respond rapidly to issues as they arise
• Prepared to undertake work for the Committee outside of the Committee meetings
• Prepared to represent the views of the Guidelines Committee for formal consultations
• Prior experience of a significant leadership role
• Detailed knowledge of current NHS and the Health and Social Care Act
• Up to date with membership subscriptions
• Of good standing within the College

Information about the RCOG CPD Framework can be found here.

Committee Chair/Member/Course Convenors and Organisers

If within your committee role or work as course convenor or organiser you gain knowledge which enhances patient care or leadership and technical skills (including, for example, giving presentations, teaching sessions or mock examining) credits can be claimed as an ‘Experiential Learning Event’.

CPD users can now freely select and record the number of credits for all their CPD activities. For Experiential Learning Events, a Reflection is required to claim the selected credits. In addition, 1 or 2 credits can be claimed for an action following the learning (1 credit for a simple action, 2 credits for a complex action). To claim credits for an action, the individual needs to demonstrate how they have applied their learning to their practice, the service they provide and/or the potential impact of the learning.

For those who prefer to follow RCOG recommendations, the CPD Framework still provides a suggested number of credits that can be claimed for different CPD activities.

Further information can be found in the RCOG CPD Framework document.

The purpose of the Guidelines Committee is to oversee the development of Green-top Guidelines, ensuring they are developed to a high quality and add value to the membership of the RCOG.

1. To manage the development, updating and publication of Green-top guidelines as determined by the Clinical Quality Assurance Group and Clinical Quality Board
2. To quality assurance enhanced content based on Green-top Guidelines.
3. To collaborate with other organisations and produce or endorse guidelines, as determined by the Board.
4. To collaborate with other committees on other College activities (e.g. Consent Advice. Scientific Impact Papers, Good Practice Papers, Patient Information and other related College work) as determined by the Board.
5. To provide comments on consultation documents, particularly NICE guidelines, quality standards and technology evaluations.
6. Representation on the RCOG Clinical Quality Assurance Group and Clinical Quality Board.
7. Representation on other committees and groups, including the Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Heath’s (FSRH) guideline development group.

Committee membership will include representation from RCOG Fellows and Members, including Trainees, with expertise across the specialty, as well as lay representation from the RCOG Women’s Network.

The Committee will co-opt additional members from organisations such as NICE and the FSRH as appropriate.

Internal RCOG staff attending Guidelines Committee meetings to include: Guidance Editorial Manager, Head of Quality Improvement, and the Director of Clinical Quality.

A quorum for the meeting will be three RCOG Fellows and Members representatives, plus one of the co-Chairs.

The current membership can be found further below.

Members should commit their presence within the Committee by:

• Submitting comments promptly on Green-top Guidelines throughout the development process where requested. (If members of the committee do not submit comments ahead of two meetings within a 12-month period they will be contacted by the Chair.)
• Being responsive to other requests for opinions on matters arising between meetings.
• Understanding the sensitive nature of the Committee’s work and making sure trust and respect is maintained by constructive discussion and challenge.
• Submitting declarations of interest as requested. A provision has been made for the core membership to declare any interests, along with a register that is retained for each meeting. 

The Committee will adhere to the RCOG policies and meetings will be held quarterly.

Two meetings a year will be held at the Union Street College building (with Microsoft Teams provision for those unable to travel). 

All other meetings will be fully virtual meetings via Microsoft Teams.

Members of the Committee may request an extraordinary meeting if urgent matters arise.

If members of the Committee are unable to attend for two meetings within a 12-month period they will be contacted by the Chair.

The Guidelines Committee reports to the Clinical Quality Board, via the sharing of minutes and Chair/Vice Chair representation at these Board meetings. 

Actions and summarised minutes will be circulated to members within four weeks of a meeting.

Sarah Miles

Email: clinicaleffectiveness@rcog.org.uk