Research Governance, Scientific and Ethics Review

Health care research

The Department of Health defines health care research as:

“All research that relates to the responsibilities of the Secretary of State for Health. That is, research concerned with the protection and promotion of public health, research undertaken in or by the Department of Health, its non-Departmental Public Bodies and the NHS, and research undertaken by or within social care agencies. It includes clinical and non-clinical research, research undertaken by NHS or social care staff using the resources of health and social care organisations, and any research undertaken by industry, charities, research councils and universities within the health and social care systems that might have an impact on the quality of those services” (The Research Governance Framework for Health and Social Care, p. 2).

The School’s research governance procedure

In order to comply with the Department of Health’s Research Governance Framework for Health and Social Care, the University operates a research governance procedure for health care research projects that are led or supervised by University of Sheffield members of staff.

Each academic department has at least one designated health care research governance contact, who administers the procedure for health care research undertaken in the department, and who is available to provide support and advice for researchers. The designated contact for the School of Nursing and Midwifery is Jane Flint:j.flint@sheffield.ac.uk
Overview of the research governance process

For further information please see: http://www.sheffield.ac.uk/ris/other/gov-ethics/governance

Research in the NHS

If your research involves NHS patients you will require NHS research ethics review (NHS ethics review is no longer required for research that only involves staff as participants).

The Integrated Research Application System (IRAS) application form contains a section 'Declaration by the Sponsor'. This section of the form requires the authorisation of a designated authorised signatory for your department. This will need to be arranged by your departmental healthcare research governance contact and can be done by either obtaining a wet ink signature or via electronic authorisation.

In order for this authorisation to be granted, your healthcare research governance contact will first need to see confirmation of independent scientific approval (the funder's approval letter in the case of externally-funded research) before the application can be authorised.

Please note it is not necessary to submit both an ink and electronic signature.

The School's research ethics review procedures

The main purpose of the School´s ethics review procedures is to facilitate the research undertaken by members of the department in a way that protects both our research participants and ourselves. Our aim is to accommodate all proposed research as far as is ethically possible.

The University´s approach to research ethics requires that all research involving human participants, personal data, or human tissue should be reviewed, and research ethics approved obtained, before data gathering commences. This approach applies to all University staff and registered students who conduct, or contribute to, research activities involving human participants, personal data or human tissue, whether these take place within or outside University premises and facilities. This includes research undertaken by non-academic departments of the University of Sheffield. The School of Nursing and Midwifery expects all research to abide by the University ethics guidelines.

The lead researcher (e.g. the principal investigator or supervisor) is responsible for deciding whether ethics approval is required, and which ethics review procedure is applicable. Ethics approval can be obtained via five standard routes, which are outlined in the University´s Research Ethics Policy webpage:
http://www.shef.ac.uk/ris/other/gov-ethics/ethicspolicy/approval-procedure

Investigations/research projects led by the staff at the School of Nursing and Midwifery at the University of Sheffield that are undertaken in the UK, but do not involve the NHS, will usually require ethical approval through the School of Nursing and Midwifery Ethical Review Procedures (SNM-ERP). The School has one set of procedures and forms for undergraduate and postgraduate-taught students and another for staff and postgraduate research students. Please click on the links below to view the appropriate procedure for applying for ethical approval through the SNM-ERP.

SNM-ERP for Staff and Postgraduate Researchers

SNM-ERP for Undergraduate (UG) and Postgraduate Taught (PGT) students

SNM-ERP for Generic Research Projects

SNM-ERP Research Overseas Flow Chart

If you require further information on making an SNM-ERP application, please contact the School's Research Ethics Administrator, Jane Flint: j.flint@sheffield.ac.uk

Staff or students submitting applications for ethical approval via one of the other four standard routes (e.g. the NHS ethical review procedure) who wish to have their application formatively evaluated prior to submission to the applicable ethics committee should also contact Jane Flint: j.flint@sheffield.ac.uk