Research that involves collecting information from or about service users, their carers and relatives and our staff will need to go through a research approval process. The panel that will decide whether to approve your research based on the information given in the application form and your research proposal is called Research Governance.
Research Governance: the Northamptonshire approach
All councils with Social Services responsibilities are required by the Department of Health to have arrangements in place to ensure that research activity taking place that involves service users, carers or staff
- helps us achieve our strategic goals
- is of a high standard and
- is ethically sound.
Northamptonshire’s approach to this has been to introduce systems that do these things but do them in the following way.
Minimal bureaucracy
Researchers, like most other public sector professionals, are faced with ever increasing volumes of paperwork, ‘gate-keeping’ and other obstacles. Whilst recognising the need for a framework that regulates research activity, it is important that this does not discourage or prevent research activity, but supports it and encourages the achievement of high standards.
To do this, in Northamptonshire researchers are required to complete just one four page form. The same form is used whether the researcher is employed by the County Council or has been commissioned to carry out research and works in another setting. This form is included in an application pack for researchers available from the intranet.
Quick response
An advisory group and subcommittee have been established to review research applications. Once a completed research proposal is received it is immediately sent to members of the subgroup for review.
The reviewers use a risk appraisal tool developed for the Department of Health to appraise the proposal. It is aimed to provide feedback is normally possible in 10 working days. This feedback will incorporate recommendations or guidance to the researcher if this is needed.
Proportionality
The principle of proportionality is that those research proposals that offer the greatest degree of risk to participants are also those that receive the closest scrutiny. If the study is considered to be ‘risky’ in some way this doesn’t necessarily mean it will be rejected.
Studies that contain an element of risk for participants may also in some circumstances produce important and useful findings. For these proposals the subgroup may recommend that the proposal be reviewed at a meeting of the advisory group, which meets quarterly.
Related Documents
If you would like to undertake research in Health and Adult Social Services, you need to complete this application form:
Related Links