Wales: Developing Bespoke Approaches to Patient Involvement in HTA
摘要
Health Technology Wales (HTW) is the national health technology assessment (HTA) body that produces national guidance on non-medicine technologies for the national health service and social care service in Wales. HTW prepares HTAs based on systematic reviews of published literature to evaluate clinical and cost effectiveness. Alongside this, a systematic, but bespoke approach to patient involvement is used for each HTA that determines the best mechanism for involvement in that specific case. This ranges from identification of patient aspects in clinical effectiveness reviews, through to systematic reviews of patient issues, undertaking focus groups, interviews and surveys (where possible co-created with patient organisations) and patient group submissions. Approaches are agreed at the outset of the HTA but may be modified as the appraisal process progresses. All work undertaken or submitted is presented in a separate section of the HTA report and discussed at the HTW Appraisal Panel. Public partners are members of the assessment and appraisal committees to ensure that patient issues are adequately considered. These public partners join with other patient experts as the Patient and Public Involvement Standing Group. This Committee decides the form of involvement for each topic, oversees its progress and advises HTW about development of PPI.