NIAA Terms of Reference

1. Vision

To improve the health of patients and the public through research and innovation.


2. Mission

To promote, support and deliver world class biomedical and health research in anaesthesia, perioperative and pain medicine.


3. Aims

3.1 To develop high quality collaborative research through the NIAA UK Perioperative Medicine Clinical Trials Network (CTN).

3.2 To develop and promote trainee involvement in national and regional research, audit and quality improvement.

3.3 To award NIAA grant funding to research and researchers of the highest quality based on NIAA vision and mission.

3.4 To facilitate increased funding for and strategically invest in national health priority areas as defined by patients, public and the professions.


4. Organisational structure

4.1 The NIAA will be established within the Royal College of Anaesthetists (RCoA).

4.2 It will be governed by the NIAA Board, which will be accountable to the RCoA Trustees, but will formally report to the Councils/Boards of all four of the founding partners.

4.3 The NIAA Board shall constitute reporting committees and/or working parties as required in order to achieve its objectives.


5. NIAA Board

5.1 The NIAA Board will be the body with overall responsibility for the following components of the NIAA:

  • i. NIAA Research Council
  • ii. Health Services Research Centre
  • iii. Academic Training
  • iv. Clinical Trials Network

5.2 The NIAA Board will set the NIAA strategy and ensure that the overall aims of the NIAA are achieved and maintained.

5.3 The four founding partners together with the Chair of the NIAA Board and Lay representative (voting members) and Director of Clinical Quality and Research make up a smaller Executive Board that meets quarterly to review performance (financial and managerial) of the individual components of the NIAA. This will be followed by a full NIAA Board consisting of representatives (non-voting members) whose activities are currently being funded by the NIAA.

5.4 The voting membership of the NIAA Executive Board will comprise of the:

  • Chair of NIAA Board (appointed by a panel consisting of a representative from each of the four founding partners and ratified by the RCoA President)
  • 1 representative from RCoA Council
  • 1 representative from British Journal of Anaesthesia (BJA)
  • 1 representative from the AAGBI
  • 1 representative from Anaesthesia
  • 1 Lay representative from the founding partners

On any occasions where a vote is called and in the event of a tied vote, the Chair will hold the casting vote.

The non-voting membership of the NIAA Board will comprise of the:

Co-opted:

  • Chair of Research Council
  • 1 representative from the Health Services Research Centre (Director or Deputy Director of HSRC)
  • 1 Academic Trainee Coordinator
  • 1 representative from the Clinical Trials Network (CTN) (Director of CTN)
  • 1 NIAA Grants Officer
  • 1 representative of the funding partner organisations (specialist societies)
  • RCoA Director of Clinical Quality & Research


5.5 Subject to the provisions of Section 15 of the Financial Regulations of the College, the Board may establish a sub-committee, sub-group or working party, to consider any matter falling within the Board's terms of reference and to report on that matter to the Board.

5.6 The Board may also co-opt, either for the periods specified in the co-option or for a single meeting, any persons who are specially qualified to assist the Board.

5.7 The meeting frequency will be two face-to-face meetings and two teleconferences per year. Where possible, the face-to-face meeting will be one month after the NIAA Research Council.


6. NIAA Research Council

6.1 The NIAA Research Council will be governed by its research funders and where possible meet twice a year on the same day of the NIAA Grants Committee. The minutes of the Council will be received by the NIAA Board and other stakeholder organisations.

6.2 Its remit will be to:

  • i. Develop and deliver the research strategy of the NIAA as set out by the Board
  • ii. Where possible and appropriate, adopt a co-ordinated approach to research funding, which will be administered through the NIAA whilst maintaining the identity of the stakeholders
  • iii. Seek and encourage the involvement of other funders of anaesthetic research
  • iv. Ensure that awards are administered in accordance with NIHR portfolio requirements
  • v. Review outputs of the projects funded through the NIAA


    6.3 The Committee's finances will be totally transparent and reported regularly to partner organisations.

6.4 The voting membership will comprise of:

  • Chair of Research Council (appointed by the four founding partners and ratified by the RCoA President)
  • Chair of NIAA Board
  • 1 representative from the RCoA Council
  • 1 representative from the British Journal of Anaesthesia
  • 1 representative from the AAGBI
  • 1 representative from Anaesthesia
  • 1 representative from each of the funding partner organisations (specialist societies)
  • 1 representative from the RCoA's Lay Committee


    The non-voting membership will comprise of:


  • 1 Royal Centre for Defence Medicine representative
  • 1 representative from the Health Services Research Centre (Director of HSRC or Deputy)
  • 1 Academic Trainee Coordinator
  • 2 Trainee representatives
  • 1 representative from the Clinical Trials Network (CTN) (Director of CTN)
  • 1 representative from the Research & Audit Federation of Trainees (RAFT)
  • 1 NIAA Grants Officer
  • 1 NIHR CLRN Lead for Anaesthesia
  • RCoA Director of Clinical Quality & Research

6.5 The NIAA strategy will be published as a rolling five-year plan with biannual activity reports.

6.6 The NIAA Research Council will be able to establish a sub-committee, sub-group or working party, as required. An example of such is the NIAA Funders' Forum, which meets annually.

6.7 The NIAA Research Council may also co-opt, either for the periods specified in the co-option or for a single meeting, representatives from other research funders and specialist advisors as required and decided upon by its members.


7. Chair Appointments and Terms of Office

7.1 The NIAA Board and Research Council Chairs shall be appointed via open competition, with interview panels consisting of a representative from each of the four founding partners. The final appointment of each Chair will be ratified by the RCoA President.

7.2 The term of office of each Chair shall be 3 years, renewable for a further 3 year period on the agreement of the NIAA Board. This can be extended by a maximum of one further year in exceptional circumstances (e.g. to ensure both Chairs do not demit in the same year).

8. Other committees

8.1 The terms of reference of other NIAA committees will be formulated by the NIAA Board as appropriate.


9. Administrative support

9.1 The RCoA will provide estate, managerial and administrative support for the work of the NIAA Board and its sub-committees, and meetings of the NIAA Research Council

9.2 Administrative arrangements for the NIAA Research Council sub-committees and project teams will be agreed and funded (including travel and subsistence) by its members.


Appendix I

Representatives from funding partner organisations:

  • ACTACC Association for Cardiothoracic Anaesthesia and Critical Care
  • APAGBI Association of Paediatric Anaesthetists of Great Britain and Ireland
  • ARS Anaesthetic Research Society
  • BSOA British Society of Orthopaedic Anaesthetists
  • DAS Difficult Airway Society
  • NACCSGBI Neuroanaesthesia & Critical Care Society of Great Britain and Ireland
  • OAA Obstetric Anaesthetists' Association
  • RA-UK Regional Anaesthesia UK
  • SEA UK Society for Education in Anaesthesia
  • VASGBI Vascular Anaesthesia Society of Great Britain & Ireland