Research ethics

Applicants will be notified of the School of Health Sciences Research Ethics Committee (SHS REC) decision within 10 working days of the meeting. The SHS REC can make the following eight decisions:

• Reject the application outright
• Refer the application to Senate REC
• Reject the application and ask for a resubmission
• Ask for amendments and clarifications to be considered by the Chair plus additional members of the SHS REC
• Ask for amendments and clarifications to be considered by the Chair
• Grant full ethical approval at the meeting, with no changes required
• Additionally the SHS REC may make recommendations which are not formally part of the ethical approval but which applicants, especially students, may find useful.

Proportionate review committees for Languages and Communication Sciences

Latest submission dates for paperwork

• Friday 25 September 2020
• Friday 16 October 2020
• Friday 27 November 2020
• Friday 5 February 2021
• Friday 9 April 2021
• Friday 11 June 2021

1. To consider the ethical and legal implications of all research involving experiments, investigations and procedures involving human participants carried out in the School of Health Sciences, or under its auspices, that are not subject to direct oversight by Senate REC.
2. To consider the ethical and legal implications arising from research projects collecting, using and/or storing personal data carried out in the School of Health Sciences, or under its auspices, that are not subject to the direct oversight by Senate REC.
3. To devise guidance, set standards, propose and review policy on the ethical conduct of research within the School of Health Sciences in conjunction with Senate REC and the SHS Research Committee.
4. To approve proportionate review delegation frameworks and procedures relating to research ethics in SHS in conjunction with Senate REC and the SHS Research Committee.
5. To receive from individual members of academic staff, students, proportionate review streams, proposals for all other research involving experiments, investigations and procedures falling within its terms of reference (1 & 2) and to allow, refer back or disallow such proposals, specifying where necessary any conditions subject to which proposals may be allowed.
6. In carrying out its responsibilities, to seek and take account of all necessary advice from sources within and without City.
7. To report to Senate REC annually on the research, experiments, investigations and procedures which have been allowed by the Committee through the Chair of the Committee.
8. To receive minutes and reports from proportionate review within SHS and to carry out spot checks on the effectiveness of procedures and standards adopted by proportionate review streams.
9. To submit a copy of the minutes of each meeting to Senate REC and SHS Research Committee.

The composition is intended to reflect the diversity of research activity within the SHS. Members are asked to join on the basis of an interest in research ethics and a desire to contribute. Each research centre within the school also sends a delegate, those who lead the proportionate review streams are also required to attend.

The composition of the SHS REC includes a Chair and two Deputy Chairs and up to 8 other academics from the school. There are also two external members, and two ex-officio members: the Information Assurance Officer and the Secretary to Senate REC, both from City, University of London. At present there is no student member nor a lay external member.

The SHS REC is supported by the Research Governance Officer within the School.

From 1st September 2017 the tenure on the committee will be as follows:

Chair & Deputy Chairs: up to 5 years with one reappointment, (total of 10 years) thereafter they must step down for a year. Appointed by the Associate Dean for Research.

Ordinary members: up to 3 years initially with two reappointments for 3 years (a total of 9 years) thereafter they must step down for a year. Appointed by the Chair.

Ex offcio members: the Information Assurance Officer and the Secretary to Senate REC, both from City, University London, duration of their tenure. Ex officio.

External members: up to five years with one reappointment, (total of 10 years) thereafter they must step down. Appointed by the Associate Dean for Research and Chair SHS REC.

Committee

• Dr Nicholas Drey (Chair), Internal, (2008-), Senior Lecturer in Health Services Research, Nursing
• Prof Ron Douglas (Deputy Chair), Internal (2008- ) Professor of Visual Science, Lead: Applied Vision Research proportionate review
• Dr Martin Cartwright (Deputy Chair), Internal, (2015- ), Senior Lecturer, HSRM

Members

• Dr Celia Harding, Internal, (2016- ), Senior Lecturer, LCS Joint Lead: LCS proportionate review (with Lucy Henry)
• Dr Manbir Nagra, Internal (2016- ), Lecturer, Optometry and Visual Science
• Dr Kathleen Mulligan, Internal (2013- ), Senior Research Fellow, HSRM
• Dr Katherine Curtis-Tyler, Internal (2014- ), Senior Lecturer: Child Health, Lead: Maternal & Child Health proportionate review
• Dr Juanita Hoe, Internal, (2017- ), Senior Lecturer, Mental Health Nursing

Ex officio members

• Ms Caroline Llewellyn, Internal, Information Assurance Officer
• Ms Anna Ramberg, Internal, Secretary to Senate REC

External members

• Dr Deanna Gibbs, External, (2010- ), Research Consultant, Barts Health NHS Trust
• Dr Kirti Patel, External, (2011- ), Research Contracts Manager, Imperial College London and Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust

In Attendance

• Ms Alison Welton, Internal, Secretary to SHS REC, Research Governance Officer

This policy will be reviewed every two years, commencing in June 2019. The SHS REC will review its terms of reference at the first meeting of each academic year in September.

The SHS does not require an individual researcher to subscribe to any particular framework for the ethical review and conduct of research. However, it expects applicants to ensure that the rights, dignity and safety of participants, researchers and third parties are maintained and promoted at all times, that legal and national policy requirements for research are followed, and that City is protected from reputational and financial risk.

We expect applicants to follow appropriate governmental, professional and academic guidance and to articulate within the application the approach that they are taking. In particular there are professional codes covering research ethics that are obligatory for registrant researchers to follow: for example those produced by the NMC, GMC and British Psychological Society, amongst others. More general codes or frameworks that applicants are referred to include: the Framework for Research Ethics from the ESRC, Prinicpalism (the Four Principles plus Scope), the Social Research Association and numerous additional specialist guidance. The Health Research Authority (HRA) has mandatory guidance for research projects involving patients and staff.