West Midlands researchers awarded major investment to help guide UK health screening policy.
A University of Birmingham and University of Warwick partnership have been awarded £3.7m from the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) to set up a specialised Evidence Synthesis Group (ESG) that will support the work of the UK National Screening Committee (NSC).
The Warwick-Birmingham Screening ESG (WeB-ESG) brings together specialist methodological knowledge across screening research and test evaluation. The team includes Professor Yemisi Takwoingi, Dr Jac Dinnes and Professor Amy Grove from the University of Birmingham, whose combined expertise in test evaluation, evidence synthesis and implementation science will support the successful delivery of WeB-ESG’s objectives.
In total, the NIHR has invested £15 million to establish four new specialist ESGs, highlighting the importance of research evidence in informing health and care decisions and policy.
Screening should only be recommended when high-quality evidence shows that it does more good than harm. While screening can help detect conditions early and improve treatment outcomes, it also carries potential risks, such as overdiagnosis and overtreatment. Our group will review the available evidence to help inform decisions about which health screening programmes should be introduced, continued, modified, or discontinued.
Screening can help detect health conditions early, allowing for faster treatments and shifting healthcare from a focus on treatment to prevention, especially important when early intervention can stop a condition from developing or getting worse. However, screening is not without risks. It can sometimes lead to overdiagnosis and unnecessary treatment.
The groups will help evaluate whether screening programmes are clinically and cost-effective, and truly meeting the needs of the population. Their findings will help ensure that NHS resources are used wisely and that decisions are based on the best available evidence.
“I am delighted that we are able to support the important work of the UK NSC in weighing up the potential benefits and harms of screening programmes.
"The new groups will provide dedicated research expertise and capacity and contribute to improving population health through the UK NSC’s rigorous, thoughtful and evidence-informed approach to screening.”
Professor Lesley Stewart, Director of the NIHR Evidence Synthesis Programme
The new specialist groups will bring together, assess and summarise research evidence on important health and care questions, keeping this information up to date and easily accessible. Their work will help bridge the gap between rapidly evolving research and real-world healthcare decisions, ensuring that policy and practice remain responsive, relevant and are based on the most current and reliable evidence.
Read more in the NIHR announcement.
Head of the Department of Applied Health Sciences
School of Health Sciences
Staff profile for Dr Yemisi Takwoingi, Head of the Department of Applied Health Sciences and Professor of Test Evaluation and Evidence Synthesis at the University of Birmingham, UK.
125th Anniversary Chair
School of Social Policy
Amy is a Psychologist and Professor of Implementation Science. As a leading methodologist, she evaluates health technology and innovation to directly impact health service design and delivery
Senior Test Evaluation Methodologist
School of Health Sciences
Staff profile for Dr Jac Dinnes, Senior Researcher (Methodologist), Department of Applied Health Sciences, University of Birmingham.
