The UK National Screening Committee needs up to ten rapid, reliable evidence reviews each year to decide whether to roll out or scrap screening programmes for conditions like cancer, heart disease, or rare genetic disorders—and this team has built a dedicated assembly line to produce them. Screening decisions have enormous consequences: introducing a new test can save thousands of lives, but a poorly judged programme can cause unnecessary anxiety, invasive follow-ups, and wasted NHS resources. The gap has been that high-quality evidence synthesis for screening is methodologically complex—standard review techniques often fail when applied to population-wide testing. This group brings together statisticians, health economists, information specialists, and patient representatives specifically to tackle those tricky questions. If the group succeeds, the UK NSC will get faster, more rigorous answers about which screening programmes work and for whom. That means the public benefits from screening policies grounded in the best available evidence, not guesswork. The team also commits to co-producing plain-language summaries with patients and the public, so the reasoning behind screening recommendations becomes transparent to the people who actually undergo the tests.
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Warwick-Birmingham Screening Evidence Synthesis Group (WeBS-ESG) brings together specialist methodological knowledge across screening research. We have the skills and capacity to provide up to 10 reviews per year. Team expertise and knowledge: WeBS ESG combines internationally recognised methodological expertise and experience in screening and diagnostics, and hold a range of roles with the UK NSC. Previous experience: We are highly experienced in addressing complex screening questions, and have produced nearly 100 evidence synthesis products for organisations such as the UK NSC, NICE, and the WHO, and published over 100 articles on screening and diagnostics. Networks: We take a leading role in developing and maintaining international, national, and local networks in screening evidence synthesis. We are embedded within NIHR infrastructures in the West Midlands. Patient and public involvement: We have outstanding experience of PPIE and are committed to active collaboration. We will embed PPIE within the work for the UK NSC to ensure that the evidence that is generated and the recommendations that are made are relevant to the people they affect most. Research design/methods: We have established a collaborative and flexible approach to addressing complex screening questions that using both traditional and novel evidence synthesis methods whilst maintaining academic rigour. We understand the need to work closely with UK NSC secretariat throughout the process to deliver evidence products to meet their needs. Resourcing and project management: We are a multidisciplinary team with a wealth of expertise including systematic reviewers, information specialists, health economists, statisticians, and project managers. WeBS ESG will build on our current infrastructure and experience of conducting reviews for the UK NSC. Project/research timetable: We have a track record of producing high quality evidence synthesis products on time and on budget for the UK NSC and other national and international organisations. Dissemination: With patient and public collaborators, we will co-produce clear and accessible outputs from our reviews. These will be shared widely through open access journals, conferences, social media and other websites, podcasts, and public events. Success criteria: Success will be measured through the delivery of high-quality evidence synthesis products, PPIE activity in all reviews, increased capacity in health screening evidence synthesis, and skills development within our team. Ethics: Warwick and Birmingham universities have robust structures in place to ensure our work is conducted ethically. Our team includes a leading ethicist in health screening. Equality, diversity and inclusion: Equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) are core principles underpinning our ESG. We will integrate EDI principles in our research and conduct to foster a positive environment conducive to effectively address screening evidence synthesis questions and challenges in an inclusive manner. Our EDI strategy will be inspired by themes of the NIHR strategies and frameworks to facilitate good practice. With our existing ties to the UK NSC, track record of generating evidence synthesis products for screening (and other) organisations, expertise in methodological work in health screening, integration with existing NIHR infrastructures, and an established relationships with PPIE networks, WeBS-ESG is uniquely positioned to meet the needs of this call.
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