UK Standards for Microbiology Investigations Steering Committee

The UK Standards for Microbiology Investigations (UK SMI) Steering Committee develops standards for microbiology investigations.

This content now available at UK Standards for Microbiology Investigations.

Role

The UK SMI steering committee recommends and endorses NICE accredited microbiology standards. The committee oversees working groups who are responsible for the laboratory, clinical and public health input to the UK SMIs. The working groups work with the Standards Unit and are accountable to the steering committee.

The steering committee and the working groups work with professional and public sector organisations including professional societies, Public Health England, the NHS and the Royal College of Pathologists to develop and endorse the standards.

The Standards Unit responsible for the development of UK SMIs is core funded by Public Health England to cover the running costs of staff, steering committee and three working groups. The running costs also include travel expenses for the chair, lay representatives and administrative costs of arranging meetings. Travel expenses for members are covered by their respective ‘partner organisations’.

Steering committee terms of reference (PDF, 231 KB, 9 pages)

The NICE accreditation applies to all guidance produced since October 2009 using the UK SMI development processes.

Standards unit development process (PDF, 371 KB, 22 pages)

The UK SMI 5 year strategy sets out the UK SMI mission, strategic vision and business objectives in the context of national strategy documents.

UK SMI 5 year strategy (2020-2025) (PDF, 184 KB, 13 pages)

Consultations

The committee encourages members of the public to get involved in the development of UK standards for microbiology investigations. If you want to know how to be involved see the UK SMI consultation pages.

Steering committee membership

Current members are:

  • Dr Albert Mifsud, Chair
  • Ms Ruhi Siddiqui, Head of Standards Unit (UK SMI)
  • Dr Alison Watt (representing Northern Ireland Microbiology Forum and Audit Group and UK Clinical Virology Network)
  • Dr Chris Settle (representing Healthcare Infection Society)
  • Ms Collette Allen (representing British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy)
  • Mr Ian Cocking (representing Institute of Biomedical Science)
  • Dr Jane Wilcock (representing Royal College of General Practitioners)
  • Prof Jodi Lindsay (representing Microbiology Society)
  • Dr Julie Johnson (representing Public Health England)
  • Dr Justin Pachebat (representing British Society for Parasitology)
  • Dr Kate Jeffery (representing British Infection Association)
  • Mr Kenworth Vaughan (lay representative)
  • Mr Lim Jones (representing Public Health Wales)
  • Prof Mark Fielder (representing Society for Applied Microbiology)
  • Dr Mark Wilks (representing Society for Anaerobic Microbiology, the Association for Clinical Biochemistry and Laboratory Medicine and British Society for Microbial Technology)
  • Dr Martin Connor (representing Scottish Microbiology & Virology Network)
  • Dr Michael Weinbren (representing The Royal College of Pathologists)
  • Dr Michael Lockhart (representing Public Health Scotland)
  • Mr Phil Lewis (representing Welsh Microbiological Association)
  • Dr Priya Khanna (representing The Royal College of Pathologists)
  • Dr Riina Rautemaa-Richardson (representing Association of Clinical Oral Microbiologists)
  • Dr Roger Gibb (lay representative)
  • Dr Silke Schelenz (representing UK Clinical Mycology Network and the British Society for Medical Mycology)
  • Dr Tim Wyatt (representing Northern Ireland Public Health Agency)

Steering committee and working group members declare potential conflicts of interest or potential bias which may affect the independence of the conclusions or recommendations of the UK SMIs.

Declaration of interests (PDF, 66.5 KB, 4 pages)

Working groups

The working groups for UK Standards for Microbiology Investigations (UK SMIs) include:

  • Working group for microbiology standards in clinical bacteriology
  • Working group for microbiology standards in clinical virology/serology

Working group terms of reference (PDF, 264 KB, 8 pages)

Working group membership

Working group for microbiology standards in clinical bacteriology membership (PDF, 168 KB, 2 pages)

Working group for microbiology standards in clinical virology/serology membership (PDF, 43.7 KB, 2 pages)

Contact

UK standards for microbiology investigations

Standards Unit
National Infection Service
UK Health Security Agency
61 Colindale Avenue
London
NW9 5EQ