Cervical Cancer Elimination Expert Group: terms of reference

Purpose

This paper sets out the remit and membership of the Cervical Cancer Elimination Expert Group.

Accountability 

The expert group will be accountable for its advice to the Scottish Government’s Public Health Capabilities Division and advice and recommendations arising will be presented to ministers for their consideration/agreement. The expert group will also engage with the Scottish Vaccination and Immunisation Group (SVIP), National Services Scotland Screening Group and the Scottish Cancer Strategic Board. 

Remit of group 

To focus efforts on how to achieve cervical cancer elimination in Scotland, the expert group will: 

• ensure clarity and agreement on WHO call for elimination of cervical cancer targets by 2030 as applicable to Scotland
• identify current barriers to achieving the target and available Scottish data on vaccination and cervical screening to understand our current position.
• to explore interventions that are potentially effective in overcoming barriers
  • within relevant services
  • among the relevant target population
• consider what additional data/modelling may be required to understand the effectiveness of interventions to achieve the WHO targets in vaccinations, screening and treatment necessary to achieve elimination of cervical cancer
• to explore how to implement agreed interventions and how to monitor/evaluate their impact on targets
• to discuss policies to ensure that effective interventions are sustained

Membership 

The membership is intended to provide an expert informed and focussed source of advice and influence. Membership will be sufficiently flexible to accommodate the evolution of its work.

• Professor Anna Glasier, Expert Group Chair, Women’s Health Champion
• Dr Kirsty Roy, Consultant in Health Protection (HIV and STIs), Public Health Scotland
• Dr Claire Cameron, Consultant in Health Protection, Vaccination and Immunisation Division, Public Health Scotland
• Dr Tim Palmer, Honorary Professor, Centre for Reproductive Health, University of Edinburgh
• Dr Lorna Willocks, Senior Medical Officer, Scottish Government Health Protection and Immunisation
• Dr Azmat Sadozye, Senior Medical Officer (Oncology), Scottish Government    
• Dr Kimberley Kavanagh, University of Strathclyde    
• Dr Kate Cuschieri, HPV Reference Laboratory and University of Edinburgh    
• Dr Sharon Hanley, University of Aberdeen    
• Professor Sir Lewis Ritchie, Vaccination Sub Group Chair, University of Aberdeen    
• Professor Maggie Cruickshank, Cancer Treatment Subgroup Chair, University of Aberdeen    
• Dr Tasmin Sommerfield, Screening Subgroup Chair, National Clinical Advisor for Screening, Screening Oversight and Assurance Scotland    
• Gareth Brown, Scottish Director of Screening, National Screening Oversight, NHS National Services Scotland    
• Rona Watters, Unit Head, Cervical Cancer Elimination, Vaccination Policy, Scottish Government    
• Nicola Barnstaple, National Associate Director Cancer Performance and Earlier Diagnosis, Scottish Government    
• Dr Carolyn Sunners, Senior Policy Manager, Cancer and Rehabilitation, Scottish Government    
• Laura McGlynn, Head of Safe Access Zones and Screening, Scottish Government    
• Alexander Cruickshank, National Screening Programmes Team Leader, Scottish Government    
• Dr Victoria Flanagan, Scottish Clinical Lead for Colposcopy    
• Heidi Douglas, Consultant Public Health/Chair of Cervical Screening Programme Board Lead, Adult Screening Programmes, NHS Tayside    
• Felicity Sung, Team Lead, Women’s Health Plan, Scottish Government    
• Dr Cheryl Gibbons, Lead Healthcare Scientist, Vaccination and Immunisation Division, Public Health Scotland    
• Kirsty Stewart, Organisational Lead - Screening Confidence and Equity and Health Improvement Manager - Scottish Vaccination and Immunisation Programme Confidence and Equity, Public Health Scotland    
• Dr Calum Robertson, Immunisation Coordinator, NHS Forth Valley    
• Dr Douglas Rigg, Joint Clinical Lead, Scottish Primary Care Cancer Group; Clinical Lead, West of Scotland Primary Care Cancer Network; Lead GP for Cancer, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde; GP Partner, Keppoch Medical Practice    
• Julie Hoey, Unit Head, Childhood and Adult Vaccination Unit, Scottish Government    
• Caroline French, Senior Policy Manager, Childhood and Teenage Immunisations, Scottish Government    
• Blair Harrison, Policy Officer, Childhood and Adult Vaccination Unit, Scottish Government    

Additional members may be co-opted, should the group agree, on an ad hoc basis (e.g. should the group wish to take forward specific pieces of work, away from the main expert group, reporting back on their findings/recommendations).

Business

Chair

The expert group will be chaired by Professor Anna Glasier, Women’s Health Champion, Scottish Government.  

Secretariat

The Vaccination policy team within the Public Capabilities Division at Scottish Government will provide the group’s secretariat function.

Frequency of meetings 

The expert group will meet quarterly, this will be subject to review. 

The expert group will establish subgroups (e.g. on vaccination, screening and treatment) where necessary, which will report back to the group. 

It may be necessary for members’ views to be gathered out with timetabled meetings. In these instances, views will be sought and gathered by email, co-ordinated, where required, by the secretariat.

Attendance 

Standing members are requested to attend each meeting. Where members are unable to attend, they may nominate a substitute to attend in their place, or provide comments in writing in advance to be shared at the meeting. 

The secretariat should be notified of any changes in advance of the meeting.

If any member needs to withdraw from the group, they should notify the Chair and nominate a successor from their organisation.

Decision making 

Decisions and actions will be recorded in the meeting notes. In the event that a decision cannot be reached the chair will mediate/make an informed decision/recommendation.

Record of meetings

The Scottish Government Vaccination policy team will provide secretariat for the expert group. Papers for meetings will be circulated at least five working days in advance of the meeting. 

Location of meetings  

St Andrews House, Regent Road, Edinburgh, EH1 3DG with a virtual link via MS Teams for those who are unable to attend. 

Confidentiality 

Discussions should be considered to be of a sensitive nature until Scottish ministers have been advised of developments and minutes of meetings have been made available.

Lifespan of the group 

One year with option to continue beyond the year should the expert group believe this is necessary.