Functions
Overview | Advisory Group | Evaluation Team | Terms of Reference | Evaluation report
A Health Technology Assessment of a Population-Based Colorectal Cancer Screening Programme in Ireland
In November 2007, the Health Information Quality Authority invited proposals for a Health Technology Assessment (HTA) to examine the cost-effectiveness and resource implications of a population-based colorectal cancer screening programme in Ireland. The HTA will also include a commentary regarding the ethical issues that may arise in relation to a population-based screening programme. This HTA, which is being undertaken by the Authority in response to a request from the National Cancer Screening Service, will inform its advice to the Minister for Health and Children on the likely impact of such a programme on health care resources and on morbidity and mortality from colorectal cancer in Ireland.
Details on the eligibility parameters, key deliverables and format of the tender may be found in the attached 'Invitation to Tender Document' and on the e-tenders website (www.e-tenders.gov.ie).
Invitation to Tender Colorectal Cancer Screening.
Deadline for receipt of applications was : 12 noon December 21st 2007
The contract for the HTA was awarded to a multi-disciplinary evaluation team led by Dr Linda Sharp from the National Cancer Registry.
| Name | Organisation |
|---|---|
| Dr Linda Sharp | Epidemiologist, National Cancer Registry (NCR) |
| Mr Alan Ó Céilleachair | Research Assistant, National Cancer Registry (NCR) |
| Dr Harry Comber | Director, National Cancer Registry (NCR) |
| Dr Lesley Tilson | Chief I Pharmacist, National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics (NCPE), St James’s Hospital |
| Dr Cara Usher | Senior Research Fellow, National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics (NCPE), St James's Hospital |
| Dr Cathal Walsh | Biostatistician, National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics (NCPE), St James's Hospital and Lecturer in Statistics, Department of Statistics, Trinity College Dublin |
| Ms Laura McCullagh | PhD Research Fellow, National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics (NCPE), St James's Hospital |
| Dr Michael Barry | Consultant Physician and Clinical Director, National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics (NCPE), St James's Hospital |
| Mr Jim Chilcott | Technical Director ScHARR-TAG, School of Health and Related Research, University of Sheffield (ScHARR) |
| Mr Paul Tappenden | Senior Cost-effectiveness Modeller (Research Fellow), School of Health and Related Research, University of Sheffield (ScHARR) |
| Dr Sophie Whyte | Analyst, School of Health and Related Research, University of Sheffield (ScHARR) |
| Dr Anthony Staines | Professor of Health Systems Research, Dublin City University (DCU) |
| Dr Claire Finn | Research Fellow (Health Economics), Dublin City University (DCU) |
The Authority has convened a multidisciplinary Expert Advisory Group to lead and oversee the process and to provide advice to the Authority in accordance with the defined Terms of Reference.
| Name | Organisation |
|---|---|
| Professor Niall O'Higgins* | Professor of Surgery, Formerly at University College, Dublin, Ireland, and St. Vincent's University Hospital, Dublin. |
| Professor Colm O'Morain* | Consultant Gastroenterologist, Adelaide & Meath Hospital and Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences, Trinity College Dublin. |
| Dr Padraic Mac Mathuna* | Consultant Gastroenterologist, Mater Misericordiae University Hospital and Chairman of the Mater Clinical Cancer Committee. |
| Professor Ronan O'Connell* | Consultant Surgeon, Mater Misericordiae Hospital Dublin and Newman Clinical Research Professor at University College Dublin. |
| Dr Conor O'Keane* | Consultant Pathologist, Mater Misericordiae University and member of the National Cancer Forum |
| Ms Anne Murphy* | Advanced Nurse Practitioner, Cork University Hospital |
| Dr Helen Fenlon* | Consultant Radiologist, Mater Misericordiae University Hospital and with the BreastCheck Screening Programme |
| Dr Michael Flynn* | General Practitioner, General Practitioner & Lecturer in the Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Trinity College Dublin |
| Prof Diarmuid O'Donoghue* | Consultant Physician and Gastroenterologist, St. Vincent's University Hospital, Dublin and Newman Professor of Clinical Research at University College Dublin |
| Dr Mark Sculpher | Professor of Health Economics and Director of the Programme on Economic Evaluation and Health Technology Assessment at the Centre for Health Economics, University of York, England |
| Mr Liam McDonough | Public Representative, Irish Cancer Society |
| Dr Deirdre Murray | Department of Public Health, HSE, Cork |
| Dr Seamus O'Reilly | Consultant Medical Oncologist, Waterford Regional Hospital and Nominee from the Irish Society of Medical Oncologists |
| Dr Alan Smith | Nominee from National Cancer Screening Service Board |
| Patrick Cafferty | Nominee from National Cancer Screening Service Board |
| Dr Deirdre Madden | Ethics Expert, Department of Law, Cork University |
| Mr Stephen McMahon | Nominee from Irish Patients Association |
| Ms. Diana Reerman | Danish Centre for Health Technology Assessment, national Board of Health, Denmark |
| Dr Máirin Ryan | HIQA |
| Dr Patricia Harrington | HIQA |
| Dr Caroline Waldron | HIQA |
* Seconded from the Expert Group on Colorectal Cancer convened by the National Cancer Screening Service Board
Members of the Expert Advisory Group will:
- Contribute to the provision of high quality and considered advice to the Minister for Health and Children.
- Contribute fully to the work, debate and decision making processes of the Group by providing expert guidance, as appropriate.
- Be prepared to occasionally provide expert advice on relevant issues outside of committee meetings, as requested.
- Provide advice to the Authority on the refinement of the scope of the evaluation including, but not limited to such factors as the screening methodologies to be compared, the screening interval, patient age groups, specifics of the modelling approach, etc.
- Support the Evaluation Team during the assessment process by assisting with the population of the economic model (e.g., epidemiological data, cost data, screening programme uptake rates, etc.) by providing expert opinion and access to pertinent data, as appropriate.
- Review the project plan outline and advise on priorities, as required.
- Review the draft report from the Evaluation Team and recommend amendments as appropriate.
- Contribute to the Authority’s development of its approach to HTA by participating in an evaluation of the process on the conclusion of the assessment.