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Social Care Research Ethics Committee

Applying

The Social Care REC meets monthly (except August), usually the first Friday of the month, in Central London.

The Social Care REC is part of NRES and works to their Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and Governance arrangements for research ethics committees (GAfREC). These documents, together with other useful information about ethical review can be viewed on the National Research Ethics Service website as well as in the Resources section of this website.

Please note that much of the documentation has been developed for use by NHS RECs. Documentation on this site has been adapted for use in the social care context.

Before applying

Please see the 'Quick Guide' for details of the Application Process.

'Securing Ethics Approval: The Route Map for Social Care Researchers' is the result of an informal group (under Department of Health sponsorship) of representatives from national and local government, universities, social researchers and representatives from funding councils. The document provides an overview of gaining ethics approval for social care researchers and covers the key principles, definitions and sources of social care ethics review.

Integrated Research Application System (IRAS)

Applications to the Social Care REC are made online via the Integrated Research Application System website. For those not familiar with IRAS there is an e-learning training module, help via the Help page and the technical helpdesk (see also Information on IRAS (10kb PDF file)). The IRAS Project Filter includes the option to apply to the Social Care REC, which should be chosen by those applying for ethical review by the Social Care REC to ensure that the correct forms are generated.

Good Practice Guidelines for Information Sheets and Consent Forms

The aim of this document is to provide advice and guidance on the style and format of Information Sheets and Consent Forms provided to participants.  It is not the Committee’s intention to make recommendations about the ethical content of these materials or the nature of the research.  Depending on the circumstances and methodological approach, different strategies for providing information and gaining consent may be necessary.

Booking your application

Once the online IRAS form has been completed and investigators are ready to submit, please contact the Co-ordinator (see Contact us) who will register the application and provide the reference number which must be entered into the IRAS Form.

After the IRAS Form has been submitted on line, send (email preferred) a copy of the PDF version together with the checklist and supporting documentation to the Co-ordinator. (Please note that only one copy of the documentation is required).

For information, listed below are the Social Care REC meeting dates and submission deadlines. It would be very helpful if you could let the Co-ordinator know, as soon as possible, if you are intending to submit an application for a specific meeting, rather than leaving it until the submission deadline.

List of meeting/submission deadlines for 2012 and 2013

Meeting date Submission deadline
Friday, 7th December 2012 Friday, 23rd November 2012
Friday, 4th January 2013 Friday, 14th December 2012
Friday, 1st February 2013 Friday, 18th January 2013
Friday, 1st March 2013 Friday, 15th February 2013
Friday, 5th April 2013 Friday, 22nd March 2013
Friday, 3rd May 2013 Friday, 19th April 2013
Friday, 7th June 2013 Friday, 24th May 2013
Friday, 5th July 2013 Friday, 21st June 2013
August No Meeting August No Meeting
Friday, 6th September 2013 Friday, 23rd August 2013
Friday, 4th October 2013 Friday, 20th September 2013
Friday, 1st November 2013 Friday, 25th October 2013
Friday, 6th December 2013 Friday, 22nd November 2013

After submission

The Co-ordinator validates submissions (within five working days) and writes confirming the date of the meeting and a time when the application will be reviewed. Investigators will be invited to attend the Social Care REC meetings in case the Committee need any further information. It is helpful if investigators can attend the meetings as it can avoid the need to request further information after the meeting and enable the Committee to make a decision on the application more quickly.

After the meeting

After the meeting the Co-ordinator will write to the Chief Investigator detailing the decision of the Committee. We try to send letters within a week after the meeting but sometimes they can take up to 10 working days. The Committee have the following decision options available to them:

  1. Favourable opinion
  2. Favourable opinion (with Conditions)
  3. Provisional opinion – this means the Committee need some more information or changes to be made before giving a final opinion.
  4. Unfavourable opinion – if this happens you will be given reasons and suggestions to help you revise and resubmit your application.
  5. No opinion – this is very rare; it means the Committee need an additional expert referee to consider the application before giving a final opinion.
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