History and structure
On 1 April 2009 the NIHR Coordinating Centre for HTA (NCCHTA) underwent a name change to become NETSCC, HTA as part of its integration into the growing NIHR Evaluation, Trials and Studies Coordinating Centre (NETSCC). NETSCC, HTA was launched in June 1996, as the NCCHTA, to support the National Institute for Health Research Health Technology Assessment (NIHR HTA) programme, the largest national research programme, funded since 1993 by the Department of Health. It supports the work of the HTA programme in identifying and commissioning relevant technology assessment research.

Mission
The programme's mission is to help provide high quality evidence to inform NHS decision making. To achieve this goal, NETSCC, HTA coordinates and manages the NIHR HTA programme. This involves assisting in the identification of NHS knowledge gaps; providing scientific support and obtaining clinical opinion for the prioritising of research questions; assisting in the management of the research commissioning process; and making the results available to decision makers in the health service. The HTA programme has two key characteristics: it is needs-led and it is science-added.
By 'needs-led' we mean that the HTA programme is driven by the information needs of those who use, manage, provide care in and develop policy for the NHS. Systems understanding those information needs are therefore central to the programme.
By 'science-added', we mean that the HTA programme adds knowledge value at every stage of its processes, ensuring that researchers meet the information needs of the NHS.

How NETSCC, HTA works
NETSCC, HTA works in four ways:
Commissioned HTA. The HTA programme runs a cycle that begins with identifying the areas of need by consultation throughout the health service and scrutinising the recommendations of previous research. Topics identified in this way are then prioritised by expert panels. Research based on primary or secondary data sources is commissioned from health service or academic research organisations under each of the priority areas.
Researcher-led HTA. In 2006 the HTA programme launched a new researcher-led stream which funds research on topics proposed by researchers. Funding is available for both pragmatic clinical trials and evaluation studies falling within the remit of the HTA programme, with researchers invited to submit outline research proposals on an ongoing basis.
HTA Themed Calls. Funding is provided for research (primary, methodological or evidence synthesis) in specific themed areas, with calls for outline proposals on a yearly basis. The first themed call for proposals took place in 2005, in the area of Medicines for Children and following this there have been themed calls in the areas of emergency medicine, pre-hospital care and trauma in 2007, healthcare associated infection in 2008 and diagnostic tests and test technologies in 2009.
Call-off contract. This stream supports NICE guidance (both Technology Appraisal Reports and the new Single Technology Appraisals) and other policy customers including the National Screening Committee. NETSCC, HTA commissions reports from seven contracted academic departments in the UK that provide the independent evidence base to inform their decisions and NICE Guidance.
The HTA programme encourages high quality research through a process of active monitoring of on-going projects and rigorous peer-review.

Dissemination activities
The HTA programme has produced a journal series Health Technology Assessment (ISSN 13366-5278) to publicise and disseminate the results of its research. The journal’s 2007 impact factor (3.87) ranked it in the top 10 per cent of medical journals. Executive summaries and reports are available by direct mail, in printed format, on CD-ROM, and through the website at www.hta.ac.uk.

Current projects (a selection)

• CRASH2 Trial, a large randomised placebo controlled trial among trauma patients with significant haemorrhage of the effects of an antifibrinolytic treatment on death and transfusion requirement. HTA Ref: 06/303/20
• Multi-centre cluster trial in primary care comparing a community group exercise programme with home based exercise and with usual care for people aged 65 and over. HTA Ref: 06/36/04 
• A randomised phase III trial of Docetaxel plus Prednisolone vs. Docetaxel with Prednisolone plus either Zoledronic acid, Strontium-89 or both agents combined (TRAPEZE). HTA Ref: 06/303/205
• Effectiveness and Cost-effectiveness of Levonorgestrel containing Intrauterine system in Primary care against Standard trEatment - The ECLIPSE Trial. HTA Ref: 02/06/02
• PERSEPHONE - Duration of Trastuzumab Study with Chemotherapy in Early Breast Cancer: Six versus twelve months. HTA Ref: 06/303/98
• Positron Emission Tomography-Computerised Tomography scans (PET-CT) guided watch and wait policy versus planned neck dissection for the management of locally advanced (N2/N3) nodal metastases in patients with head and neck squamous cancer. HTA Ref: 06/303/129
• A randomised controlled trial to compare the safety and effectiveness of doxycycline (200 mg/day) with prednisolone (0.5 mg/kg/day) for initial treatment of bullous pemphigoid. HTA Ref: 06/403/51
• The ProtecT trial - evaluating the effectiveness of treatments for clinically localised prostate cancer. HTA Ref: 96/20/99
  A randomised controlled trial of a protease inhibitor monotherapy versus continuing combination antiretroviral therapy for HIV-1 infected patients previously established on a dual nucleoside and non-nucleoside combination regimen. HTA Ref: 06/403/90
• COmparison of iNfliximab and ciclosporin in STeroid Resistant Ulcerative Colitis: a Trial (CONSTRUCT).  HTA Ref: 06/78/03
• Randomised control trial of surveillance and no surveillance for patients with Barrett's oesophagus - BOSS (Barrett's Oesophagus Surveillance Study). HTA Ref: 05/12/01 
• A randomised controlled trial (RCT) of alternative treatments to Inhibit VEGF in patients with Age-related choroidal Neovascularisation (IVAN)  HTA Ref: 07/36/01.

EUnetHTA
NETSCC, HTA has also been involved in a project to help establish an effective and sustainable European network for HTA (EUnetHTA). As an associated partner NETSCC, HTA has led the work on adaptation, involving the creation of an Adaptation Toolkit and accompanying multinational Glossary. The three-year project, which came to an end in December 2008, involved HTA agencies, research institutions, and health ministries from across 29 European countries and is supported by the European Commission.

Future plans
The HTA programme seeks to develop more effective ways to disseminate and communicate the results of research to decision-makers and raise the profile of the programme as part of the NIHR. A particular challenge is linking with other developments in the NHS in order to create synergy with organisations such as the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE).