External Expert Review of the Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care: Terms of reference

On this page

• Preamble
• Mandate of the review
• Timeframe of the review
• Membership
• Executive Secretary and Secretariat to the review
• Non-member experts
• Transparency
• Meeting management
• Public communications and social media
• Travel and expenses

Preamble

This External Expert Review of the Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care ("the Review") is being set up pursuant to the PHAC (Public Health Agency of Canada) External Advisory Policy ("the EAB Policy") wherein the Agency seeks external expert advice from individuals who have the requisite knowledge, expertise and experience to advise on a specific scientific, technical, policy or program matter. Section 14 of the Public Health Agency of Canada Act provides the legislative authority to establish the Review.

The Terms of Reference conform with the EAB Policy, which ensures transparency and reliance on a diversity of expertise in gathering independent, informed, and well-rounded advice.

The Review panel provides their independent advice in the form of a Final Report to the Executive Secretary to the Review, who receives it on behalf of the President of the Public Health Agency of Canada. PHAC retains decision-making authority and accountability for all decisions taken as a result of recommendations made by the Review.

Through its deliberations and conclusions, the Review panel will apply to the following principles:

• Aim to uphold scientific excellence and integrity;
• Aim to contribute to reconciliation by including considerations of Indigenous Peoples, based on recognition of their rights, respect, cooperation and partnership;
• Aim to support the implementation of sex and gender-based analysis plus (SGBA Plus) by ensuring the consideration of how factors such as sex, gender, race, ethnicity, age, disability, and other factors interact and intersect with each other. This approach helps to inform how diverse people and populations in Canada may experience our policies and programs.

Mandate of the review

The Review panel is mandated to review the Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care ("the Task Force") model and provide recommendations for its improvement.

Specifically, the Review panel mandate is twofold:

1. Study whether the Task Force is structured appropriately to develop preventive health care guidelines for primary care that meet the needs of Canada's health care system, and recommend consequential improvements or changes that may be needed to modernize the development of preventive health care guidance; and
2. Assess the rigour, agility, inclusiveness, and timeliness of the scientific review processes of the evidence and data sources that are needed to support the development of well rounded, useful, and timely guidelines.

The Review Panel is instructed to:

• Review domestic and international approaches and best practices for the development of clinical practice and public health preventive guidelines, and consider the findings of this comparative review in its recommendations; and
• Engage with experts and key interest holders, both domestic and international, to ensure a comprehensive review that takes into account the best practices integrating elements such as the clinical (patient) interests, lived experience, community preventive health, ethics, and economic analysis.
• The Review panel will consider the outcomes of ancillary reviews, consultations, evaluations to the extent that they provide relevant evidence for panel consideration.

The Review panel shall produce a Final Report outlining its findings and include a set of actionable recommendations for a robust governance framework, structure, and administration, as well as the scientific review processes.

Timeframe of the review

• Phase 1: Preliminary research and data collection (September 2024)
• Phase 2: Information gathering (October to December 2024)
• Phase 3: Analysis and report writing (January to March 2025)
• Phase 4: Presentation of findings and recommendations to PHAC (March 2025)

Membership

The Review panel is composed of 13 members, including a Chair.

The Executive Secretary or their representative will be an ex-officio member. Ex-officio members will not be voting members.

Members have been selected to ensure the Review panel is composed of a range of relevant knowledge, expertise and experience including clinical practice, bioethics, methodology, and representative of the diversity of Canada. Members understand PHAC's commitment to Sex and Gender-based Analysis Plus (SGBA+) and, through its review, will apply an intersectional approach to assess how factors such as sex, gender, age, race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, disability, sexual orientation, cultural background, and geographic location interact and intersect.

All members have agreed to the following obligations as prerequisites to appointment:

• be subject to and to abide by the terms laid out in PHAC's External Advisory Body Policy;
• obtain a Reliability status security clearance;
• sign a Confidentiality Agreement Form;
• complete and sign an Affiliation and Interests Declaration Form and, if participation is permitted despite a conflict of interest, accept limitations on participation as described in Chapter 3 of the EAB policy; and
• provide a brief autobiography and review, including a summary of their affiliations and interests (with the understanding these documents are to be published online by PHAC).

Term of membership

Members are appointed by PHAC for the duration of the External Expert Review only. The Panel's activities are expected to conclude in March 2025 or shortly after.

The Chair will be appointed by the Executive Secretary, to serve at their pleasure.

Resignation process

A member may resign from the Panel by providing written notice to the Executive Secretary, with a copy to the chair, including the effective date of the resignation. It is preferred that the member give 14 days' notice of their intent to resign. Once a Panel member makes the decision to resign, the member should be offered an exit interview.

The Executive Secretary will determine if a replacement member must be appointed.

Reasons for termination

The Executive Secretary may end a member's appointment for a variety of reasons including the member's term is complete; the mandate of the Panel has been completed; the Panel's mandate has changed, thus requiring a different membership, etc. The Executive Secretary may also end an appointment if a member has not acted in accordance with the Terms of Reference. Examples include if a member breaches his/her confidentiality obligations or reneges on its participation in Panel activities, including meetings. PHAC will notify a member in writing about the termination and will provide the member with the reason why the appointment is being concluded and the date of termination.

Remuneration

Members agree to participate on a volunteer basis.

Executive Secretary and Secretariat to the review

The Deputy Chief Public Health Officer serves as Executive Secretary to the Review. The Executive Secretary ensures the good management of the Review on behalf of the President, provides guidance to the Secretariat and to the Chair of the Review on PHAC's External Advisory Body Policy, and engages with key officials in PHAC (e.g., Chief Science Officer) on administrative processes as well as on questions of mandate clarification.

A Secretariat, made up of PHAC officials, provides organizational and administrative support to the Chair and members of the Review panel, in accordance with Executive Secretary directions. The Secretariat generally ensures that the ongoing support of the Review is done in accordance with internal PHAC policies and practices, and specifically executes its responsibilities as detailed in section 4.10 of the External Advisory Body Policy.

Non-member experts

The Review panel should make all effort to invite experts to appear before them or provide submissions, to the extent that these non-member experts advance understanding, while recognizing the time constraints imposed by a time-limited review.

Non-member experts who are not part of the Panel may observe meetings or parts of meetings on specific topics or agenda items. Such individuals are not entitled to information or materials, and their participation remains at the discretion of the Chair and/or the Secretariat. Non-member experts shall not participate in the formulation of any advice or recommendations to PHAC.

Remuneration in the form of honorarium will only be considered for non-member expert with precarious economic situations and those who must give up an hourly wage to participate, assessed on a case-by-case basis.

Transparency

PHAC is committed to transparency as an operating principle. The following documents, at a minimum, will be posted online by PHAC:

1. Terms of Reference;
2. Mandate;
3. Membership List, together with the biographies and summaries of members' affiliations and interests; and
4. Contact information (e-mail) for the Secretariat.

Meeting management

With due consideration to PHAC's Green Meeting Guide, the Secretariat will ensure planning, communications, selecting event venues, accommodations, hospitality, procurement, and travel. By following this guide, the Secretariat will aim to minimize meeting waste, water, energy consumption, and air emissions; maximize economic and social benefits.

Meeting frequency and location. Meetings will be held approximately every three (3) weeks, for the duration of the mandate, until the Final report is submitted. Meetings will be held either in person at a mutually convenient location or through video-conference. Additional meetings may be held on an as-needed basis at the discretion of the Secretariat, in consultation with the Chair.

Meeting Attendance and invitations. Meetings will be limited to voting and non-voting Panel members and Secretariat staff. Presenters and other participants will attend by invitation only.

Meeting agendas. The Secretariat, in consultation with the Chair and with input from the members, sets the meeting agenda, and shares documentation in advance of scheduled meetings. The Secretariat will support members by contributing to the identification of questions and issues for discussion.

Quorum, Recommendations and Voting. The Panel must have a quorum when making recommendations or providing advice to PHAC. The quorum will be composed of six (6) members and the Chair. The Panel is encouraged to reach a consensus in providing advice whenever possible. When a consensus is not possible, the meeting record will reflect the diversity of opinions.

Deliberations and Reports. Minutes and/or records of proceedings will summarize the proceedings to effectively reflect deliberations. Remarks will not be attributed to individuals in the minutes or records of proceedings.

Minutes and/or records of proceedings will be prepared by the Secretariat and circulated to members for review and approval.

Advice from the Panel will be provided to PHAC in the form of a Final Report.

Public communications and social media

Members who receive media requests or public inquiries related to the Review should inform the Secretariat upon reception and prior to responding. Members of the media should be referred to the Health Portfolio media relations line. PHAC may request a member of the Review panel to respond to a media question.

Per the EAB Policy (section 4.7), Review panel members must seek consent from PHAC before disclosing information about the roles, functions, and topics of relevance to the Review in any public communications. These public communications, including social media content developed by a Review panel member, must be reviewed, and approved by PHAC before being disseminated. More generally, expectations around social media use of members, in respect to communicating about the Review, will be outlined and agreed to as part of the Confidentiality Agreement that is signed before the appointment.

Travel and expenses

Members of the Review panel who are authorized to travel by the Executive Secretary or other appropriate authority, for official Panel purposes will have their travel, accommodation and expenses reimbursed according to the National Joint Council Travel Directive and the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat's Directive on Travel, Hospitality, Conference and Event Expenditures.

Members of the Review panel will be reimbursed for applicable security screening expenses to conform with obtain a Reliability status security clearance, including fingerprinting.