Evidence (Systematic) Reviewer

Salary: Pro rata depending on hours agreed (£35,879 - £39,776 FTE based on a 35-hour week) (commensurate with experience)

Hours: Part Time (Minimum of 21 hours per week)

Contract Type: 12 month Fixed-Term Contract (with possibility to be made permanent at the end of the contract term)

Who we are:

The Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare (FSRH) is the leader in the field of sexual and reproductive healthcare, and we are the voice for professionals working in this area. As a multi-disciplinary professional membership organisation, we set clinical guidance and standards, provide training and lifelong education, and champion safe and effective sexual and reproductive healthcare across the life course for all.

The Clinical Effectiveness Unit (CEU) at the FSRH develops a range of evidenced-based clinical guidance documents including clinical guidelines, statements and new product reviews as well as associated activities such as national benchmarking audits and responding to member evidence enquiries. The CEU is part of the wider Clinical Quality programme overseen by the Director for Clinical Quality who manages this role.

Can you help us?

We are seeking an experienced evidence (systematic) reviewer to support the development of clinical guidelines, guidance statements, national audit and new product reviews, as well as supporting the wider membership and Faculty officers in responding to evidence and research enquiries. Part of the role will be to help establish the technical team and providing advice on appropriate methods and processes for the programme of work.

As part of the CEU team the postholder will work closely with the Clinical Director for the CEU, CEU team, clinical fellows, FSRH Clinical Quality Committees and senior faculty officers as well as national and international clinical experts involved in the field of sexual and reproductive healthcare. Key duties will include identifying and appraising relevant evidence using established systematic review methods and developing structured evidence summaries across a range of products. The postholder will also support the development of methods and new ways of working in conjunction with other members of the team.

The role:

• Analytical and technical: 

• Responsible for developing a range of literature reviews (scoping, umbrella, and systematic reviews) for clinical guidelines and guidance in accordance with FSRH processes and established evidence synthesis methodologies. This includes:
• Contributing to the development of scopes,
• Developing review questions and protocols,
• Systematic searching and identification of relevant evidence,
• Full quality assessment of evidence including application of GRADE framework
• Synthesising, collating and summarising quantitative and qualitative evidence
• Summarising and presenting evidence to guideline committees (GDG)
• Preparing written summaries of the evidence / GDG discussions as part of the guideline, guidance statements, evidence enquiries or new product reviews
• Collaborating closely with the Clinical Director, Clinical Fellows and GDG to write the guideline and guidance in line with FSRH approach
• Preparing technical responses to comments received during consultation or peer review of guidelines and guidance
• Contributing to webinars, blogs, articles and publications relating to guidelines and guidance products
• Contribute to audit and national benchmarking activities
• Responding to FSRH Officer, member or internal evidence enquiries including in relation to new research or products
• Contribute to surveillance process of new evidence relevant to the update of guidelines or guidance

• Supporting methodological developments

• Contributing to the technical review of methods and the continuous improvement of methodological practices, proposing changes to processes and methodology as appropriate
• Keeping up to date on the latest developments in evidence-based practice methods
• Contribute to identifying new ways to deliver member evidence review services

• Planning and project management:

• Working with the team, in particular the project co-ordinator, to help plan the work of the CEU and the delivery of guidelines, guidance and associated activities
• Monitor and control guideline development progress, ensuring adherence to project plans
• Contribute to identifying and mitigating risks and issues in relation to the development of guidelines, guidance and associated products
• Co-ordinate and lead guideline development project meetings, ensuring effective communication among team members

• Communication: 

• Establish and maintain effective working relationships and engagement with a range of internal and external staff, including senior FSRH staff and officers, clinical experts, academics and patient organisations.
• Presenting complex information to multidisciplinary and lay groups such as guideline development groups or FSRH clinical committees
• Contributing to publications and articles on FSRH guidelines and guidance
• Responding to member, press or officer enquiries regarding FSRH outputs and relevant evidence

• Other:

• Organising and planning personal workload covering multiple projects 
• Undertaking continuing professional and personal development to meet demands of the role including keeping up to date on evidence-based practice methods
• Providing training and induction to guideline development group members and FSRH staff and Officers as appropriate
• Undertaking any other duties commensurate with the role including cover for other members of the CEU team, project work or new activities

• You will have: 
  • A Master’s degree level or a higher postgraduate qualification in a related area (for e.g. Public health, life sciences, epidemiology or medical statistics), or medical degree with experience in health services research, or equivalent level of experience gained in a relevant role
  • Specialist knowledge of literature review methodology (incl. systematic review)
  • An understanding of guideline development and assessment methodology
  • An understanding of the principles of evidence-based healthcare, critical appraisal and the interpretation and synthesis of clinical research
  • Excellent oral, written communication and presentation skills
  • An understanding of sexual and reproductive healthcare (Desirable)

• You will be:
  • Able to work independently to tight deadlines including prioritising work
  • Able to gather data, analyse, critique and synthesis complex information and prepare reports and briefing documents
  • Able to establish effective working relationships with a range of professionals
  • Able to explain basic statistical concepts, methods and results to clinicians, academics and lay people
  • Self-motivated and with the ability to work in a team
  • IT literate (Microsoft Word, Excel, reference manager, relevant reviewing and/or statistical software)
  • Able to perform GRADE and meta-analysis (Desirable)

• You will have experience:
  • Conducting literature reviews from inception to write-up Working in systematic reviewing methodology including undertaking quantitative and qualitative methodologies either in an academic, clinical or healthcare research environment
  • Performing systematic searches in Cochrane Library, PubMed and Ovid (Medline, Embase)
  • Familiarity with study design, health care methodology, conduct and reporting
  • Preparing summaries of research findings
  • Presenting complex information to multidisciplinary groups
  • Developing personal networks within the field of evidence synthesis (Desirable)

Join our team and contribute to the development of nationally and internationally recognised guidance, promoting evidence-based clinical practice, and driving positive change in sexual and reproductive healthcare. Apply now and be part of our mission to improve patient care and professional practice.

Candidates will need to have the right to work in the UK and also be resident in the UK.

We offer a range of benefits at FSRH to support staff wellbeing, including:

• 25 days holiday, with an additional 2 days leave after 2 years of service, and a further 3 days after 5 years.
• Birthday leave day - Annual Volunteering Day
• Flexible working culture
• Pension and life assurance scheme:
• 10% employer contribution / 5% employee contribution after successful completion of probation. This also includes access to life assurance at 4x annual salary and an income protection scheme.
• Employee Assistance Programme (EAP)
• Employee discounts portal
• Free Lunch Thursday
• Interest free season ticket travel loans 
• Enhanced maternity, paternity & adoption pay
• Free eye tests
• Training and development
• We want our staff to feel invested in and have the time and space to grow, learn and develop in their roles. We provide a range of learning and development opportunities, from webinars and conferences to bespoke training sessions.

This job description and person specification is a statement of requirements of the job at the time of writing. It should not be seen as precluding future changes after appointment to this role. Last updated December 2024.

To Apply

A full job description can be found on our website www.fsrh.org.

Please send your CV and 1 page covering letter to recruitment@fsrh.org via the 'Apply' button.

Deadline for applications is 16 January 2025 at 12pm

Interviews will be scheduled w/c 27 January 2025

If you have any additional questions or wish to discuss the role, please contact swillett@fsrh.org

We value diversity, promote equality and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds. We are working hard to minimise unconscious bias and your application will be anonymised to support this.

NB: In order to fulfil this role you should be resident in the UK with a valid right to work; we are unable to sponsor people requiring a work visa