Template for Rapid Iterative Consensus of Experts (TRICE).

Angel M Chater,Christopher J Armitage,Lesley J M Lewis,Emily Mcbride,Paul Chadwick,Madelynne A Arden,John Drury,Tracy Epton,Jo Hart,Gillian W Shorter,Atiya Kamal,Daryl B O’Connor,Ellie Whittaker,Lucie M T Byrne-Davis,Vivien Swanson

doi:10.3390/ijerph181910255

Abstract

Background: Public health emergencies require rapid responses from experts. Differing viewpoints are common in science, however, “mixed messaging” of varied perspectives can undermine credibility of experts; reduce trust in guidance; and act as a barrier to changing public health behaviours. Collation of a unified voice for effective knowledge creation and translation can be challenging. This work aimed to create a method for rapid psychologically-informed expert guidance during the COVID-19 response. Method: TRICE (Template for Rapid Iterative Consensus of Experts) brings structure, peer-review and consensus to the rapid generation of expert advice. It was developed and trialled with 15 core members of the British Psychological Society COVID-19 Behavioural Science and Disease Prevention Taskforce. Results: Using TRICE; we have produced 18 peer-reviewed COVID-19 guidance documents; based on rapid systematic reviews; co-created by experts in behavioural science and public health; taking 4–156 days to produce; with approximately 18 experts and a median of 7 drafts per output. We provide worked-examples and key considerations; including a shared ethos and theoretical/methodological framework; in this case; the Behaviour Change Wheel and COM-B. Conclusion: TRICE extends existing consensus methodologies and has supported public health collaboration; co-creation of guidance and translation of behavioural science to practice through explicit processes in generating expert advice for public health emergencies.

Highlights

Public health emergencies demand that experts provide rapid guidance to governments, scientists, practitioners, the media and the public
Our communications staff have found the guidance invaluable and welcomed the way that it was accessible, easy to follow, and ‘not too academic.’” Another example of how this guidance has been used to optimize public health campaigns comes from the City of Wolverhampton Council who said: “We focus on a community approach throughout our ‘Stay Safe Be Kind’ campaign which reinforces the idea that individuals should look after each other by minimising the ‘I’ and focusing on the ‘we’”
The Template for Rapid Iterative Consensus of Experts (TRICE) approach used through the British Psychological Society (BPS) COVID-19 Behavioural Science and Disease Prevention taskforce, and the guidance documents produced, have been disseminated widely with global impact

Summary

Introduction

Public health emergencies demand that experts provide rapid guidance to governments, scientists, practitioners, the media and the public. The present paper describes a new Template for Rapid Iterative Consensus of Experts (TRICE) that can help improve collaborative public health expert responses to ongoing and future public health emergencies, ensuring the best use of scientific evidence from a unified voice and facilitating effective dissemination and translation. Method: TRICE (Template for Rapid Iterative Consensus of Experts) brings structure, peer-review and consensus to the rapid generation of expert advice It was developed and trialled with 15 core members of the British Psychological Society COVID-19 Behavioural Science and Disease Prevention Taskforce. Conclusion: TRICE extends existing consensus methodologies and has supported public health collaboration; co-creation of guidance and translation of behavioural science to practice through explicit processes in generating expert advice for public health emergencies

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