Applications sought for PPI Representative on the UKOSS Steering Committee
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Published on Monday, 05 June 2023
Applications sought for a Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) Representative on the UKOSS Steering Committee.
The UK Obstetric Surveillance System (UKOSS) is a joint initiative between the National Perinatal Epidemiology Unit and the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists. The UKOSS Steering Committee currently has vacancy for a Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) Representative.
UKOSS was launched in February 2005 and is designed to be used to study a range of uncommon conditions in pregnancy. It is supported by the Royal College of Midwives, the Obstetric Anaesthetists Association, the NCT, the Faculty of Public Health and Public Health England. Currently, all 194 consultant-led maternity units in the UK contribute to UKOSS and the system has been extremely successful in collecting information on women with rare disorders of pregnancy (conditions with an estimated incidence of less than one in 2000 births). UKOSS facilitates the study of the incidence, management and outcomes of such conditions and thus contributes to vital improvements in maternity care. More information on UKOSS can be found at www.npeu.ox.ac.uk/ukoss.
The UKOSS Steering Committee is multi-disciplinary and meets three times a year. Its main responsibilities are to consider applications for new studies on the UKOSS programme and to monitor the progress of ongoing studies.
We welcome applications from anyone with recent experience of receiving maternity care and an interest in the field. If you would like to apply, please send an email to us explaining your experience and interest (ukoss@npeu.ox.ac.uk).
PPI representatives are paid at NIHR recommended rates for each meeting attended.
The deadline for applications is 1st September 2023.
For an informal discussion, please contact Melanie O'Connor, UKOSS Programme Manager melanie.oconnor@npeu.ox.ac.uk).
Rhiannon D'Arcy has been a member of the Committee since 2018 and had this to say about the role:
I have really enjoyed my time on the UKOSS Steering Committee so far – everyone is friendly and it is a wonderful opportunity to work collaboratively with people from all over the UK. I cannot think of a single Steering Committee meeting where I have not learnt something that has improved my clinical practice or my understanding of research. In addition to this, UKOSS has generated such a wealth of information since it started and really makes a difference to the standard of care that we can provide for pregnant women. It feels incredibly rewarding to have the chance to contribute to this - I would highly recommend applying!
