Social Care Research Ethics Committee

Welcome to the website for the Social Care Research Ethics Committee (REC)

This website will give you information about the purpose of the Social Care REC, how you can apply for research ethics review, and who to contact for further help.

The Social Care REC will meet monthly, and will be expected to deliver an opinion to applicants applying for ethical review within 60 days of receiving a valid application.

What the Social Care REC will review

The Social Care REC reviews adult social care research study proposals from researchers based in England. It is part of the National Research Ethics Service (NRES), and its membership, expertise and procedures have been developed to reflect the social care context. The Appointing Authority is the Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) and the REC is funded by the Department of Health. Committee members, recruited through open advertisement, include researchers, ethicists, providers and users of social care.

The aim of the Social Care REC is to complement, not replace, other RECs by addressing gaps in provision, and it will take on specialist roles (see below). No investigator should have to seek ethics review from more than one REC. University RECs and NHS healthcare RECs will continue to review social care proposals where appropriate. For example, student research should normally be channelled through University RECs.

The following principles suggest the type of studies the REC will expect to review:

1. Social care studies funded by Department of Health.
   • Research commissioned directly through the Policy Research Programme.
   • Information Centre (IC) studies (i.e. those to be designed by IC, for implementation by Councils with Adult Social Services Responsibilities, who do not then individually need to seek additional review).
   • Studies commissioned by or through National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) School for Social Care Research.
   • Social care studies funded (in rare cases) through NIHR.
   • Social care research commissioned directly by DH policy customers.
2. Social care research that involves people lacking capacity. In England, these MUST be reviewed by a recognised Appropriate Body under the Mental Capacity Act 2005. The Social Care REC is recognised by the Secretary of State for this purpose. (University RECs cannot review research involving adults lacking capacity.) This includes service evaluations that are ‘intrusive’ as defined under the Act.
3. Social care research that involves sites in England and another United Kingdom country.
4. ‘Own account’ research undertaken by Councils with social services responsibilities, where the Chief Investigator feels there are substantial ethical issues.
5. Studies where investigators do not have access to other review systems. This could include service user-led research. Investigators can contact the Coordinator at SCIE for guidance around their specific proposal.

Definition of research

The social care community promotes a wide definition of what constitutes research. For example, most service evaluations would be accepted as suitable for review by the Social Care REC. Investigators and sponsors may have a number of reasons for seeking REC review (such as vulnerable participants; wanting advice on consent procedures; ability to reassure publications editors). A sponsor or investigator can request ethics review from the Social Care REC, or by another REC supported by NRES, by contacting the Coordinator.