NICE are looking for lay members to join their committee on the use of artificial intelligence (AI) for early detection of benign skin lesions.
They are looking for people with experience as a patient or a carer of someone who has been checked for suspected skin cancer, which can include the use of artificial intelligence to support detection of benign skin lesions, and who are understanding of the issues important to patients and carers.
What is a lay member?
We use the phrase ‘lay member’ to refer to a member of one of our committees who has personal experience of using health or care services but is not a trained professional in the area. The phrase can also mean someone from a community affected by the committee's topic area or an advocate or unpaid carer.
Healthcare, social care or public health professionals working in the field or topic area of this committee are not eligible to apply for the lay member role but can apply to join as a professional member, provided professional members with their specialism are being recruited.
What will the committee be doing?
The committee will look at the evidence that is available and develop NICE guidance on the use of artificial intelligence (AI) for dermatology to help reduce referrals for skin cancer, by early detection of benign skin lesions. The NICE guidance will recommend which devices, procedures, diagnostic tests or treatments should be available in the NHS.
What knowledge and experience will I need?
We’re looking for people with experience of being checked for suspected skin cancer, which may include the use of artificial intelligence to support detection of benign skin lesions, and understanding of the issues important to patients and carers.
As a lay member, you will have this experience and understanding:
- through personal experience you have of treatment and care provided for you by the NHS
- as a relative or unpaid carer of someone who has used relevant health services
- as an advocate, volunteer, or officer of a relevant voluntary organisation or support group.
You will also have:
- good communication and team-working skills
- the ability to listen and take part in constructive debate, while being respectful of other people’s views
- knowledge of the experiences and needs of lots of people which gives you the ability to champion a range of different perspectives on this topic.
Who sits on the committee?
NICE committees develop our guidance. As well as lay members, committees are also made up of professional members. This includes people who work in health or social care, as well as a range of other roles.
Lay members have the same status and carry out the same functions as other committee members.
What does the role involve?
- attending committee meetings (see time commitment below for more information) and taking part in discussions to shape the guidance
- reading committee papers
- commenting on documents between meetings
- keeping the committee’s work confidential.
What am I expected to do?
- Make sure the views, experiences and interests of patients or people who use health and social care services are considered by the committee.
- Identify areas of concern to people using NHS, public health or social care services.
- Review topic information and the draft guidance from a patient, service user, carer or community perspective. For instance, does the information address issues important to people affected by the guidance? Does the guidance take their views into account?
- Make sure the guidance considers people from different backgrounds.
How much time will I need to give and where?
It’s important that you are available for the committee’s meetings.
- Meetings for this committee will take place from 18 October 2023
- There will be two meetings of this committee. A scoping workshop on 18 October 2023 (full day) and a committee meeting on 18 January 2024 (half day)
- The meetings will take place either virtually via Zoom or in central Manchester
Please note the Committee meetings are held in public. The public audience may include companies providing a product or service relevant to the topic under discussion, members of the press, health and social care professionals, people from voluntary organisations, as well as interested members of the public. Those sitting in the public audience are observers only and cannot take part in the meetings in any way. See NICE’s information on advisory committee meetings.
For further information and for how to apply, please see NICE’s website.