Social Care Research Ethics Committee - Frequently asked questions

This section aims to answer some Frequently Asked Questions

I am proposing to undertake research with children (under 16), who will be recruited through a voluntary sector organisation. There is no NHS involvement. Which would be the most appropriate organisation to apply for ethical approval?

The Social Care REC reviews adult social care research study proposals, and intergenerational studies involving adults and children or families. This research would therefore probably be outside our remit but please contact the Co-ordinator for confirmation.

I am proposing to undertake intergenerational social care research (under 16s and adults). Will I be able to apply to the Social Care REC for ethical review?

As outlined above, this type of research falls within the remit of the Social Care REC.

My social care research project is being funded by the Department of Health (DH). Which research ethics committee should review it?

Social Care studies funded by the DH should be reviewed by the Social Care REC. This includes:

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 the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) School for Social Care Research.
Social care studies funded (in rare cases) through NIHR.

I am undertaking a piece of research which involves carrying out semi-structured interviews and focus groups with practitioners from statutory and voluntary services, as well as service users and family members. Is the Social Care REC an appropriate REC to review this research or should I approach another NRES Committee?

The Social Care REC is part of NRES and its membership, expertise and procedures have been developed to reflect the social care context. The Social Care REC is able to review studies of integrated services (health and social care), provided there is no clinical intervention involved. It is current practice to discuss specific studies with an NRES manager where there is any doubt about the appropriate REC. As this research involves integrated services and there is no clinical intervention, the Social Care REC is an appropriate committee to review this study.

Please note: If the research involves NHS and adult social care staff only, review by a REC is no longer required. (see Governance arrangements for research ethics committee, DH, May 2011)

I work for a Charity/Voluntary Sector Organisation and we are going to be undertaking research that involves people lacking capacity (e.g. learning disability, dementia). The research is outside the NHS and I don’t have access to an Appropriate Body to ethically review this research. Would the Social Care REC be able to review this research?

The Social Care REC is recognised as an Appropriate Body under the Mental Capacity Act 2005 to review research involving people lacking capacity. One of the aims of the Social Care REC is to address gaps in provision and take on specialist roles. We would therefore be very willing to review your research.

I am undertaking a PhD which involves interviewing adults who have lost capacity. The research will be qualitative, and will comply with the provisions of the Mental Capacity Act 2005. We are currently submitting an application to a NHS REC as well as the NHS R&D Department for the participants who will be recruited via the NHS, but we also want to recruit participants via local charities or local care providers. Do we need to seek separate approval from the Social Care REC as well as NHS REC?

One of the major principles of the governance arrangements for research ethics committees is that researchers should only be required to seek ethical review from one ethics committee. Therefore, you only need to apply to one NRES REC that is flagged for Mental Capacity applications. As your research does not appear to involve any changes to clinical practice, you could equally have applied to Social Care REC: but as you have an application in progress, you should proceed with that. However, if you are recruiting participants through the Local Authority you will also need to contact their R&D department for permission to access their service users in same way as the NHS R&D Department.

I am planning to undertake a survey of NHS patients about their care. No changes to clinical practice are involved, can I apply to the Social Care REC?

The remit of the Social Care REC has recently been expanded to include studies taking place in NHS settings with NHS patients where the approach uses social science or qualitative methods, provided that the research does not involve any change in treatment or clinical practice. The Social Care REC would therefore be able to review this project

How does the Social Care REC define 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.

How is ‘Social Care’ defined?

The proposed definition of ‘social care’ is that contained within the Department of Health, Research Governance Framework Social Care Implementation Plan (DH, 2004), i.e. research undertaken ‘in or with’ bodies (independent or statutory) providing personal social services – the PSS sector. The key to this definition is thus whether access to research populations is being sought via PSS agencies, or the provider organisations (such as care homes) contracted by them.

Could you clarify the timescales for ethical approval from the Social Care REC?

The Social Care REC is part of the National Research Ethics Service and follows their Standard Operating Procedures and Governance Arrangements. Under these an ethical decision must be given within a maximum of 60 days from the date at which the application is validated. However, the Social Care REC aims to give a decision well within 60 days. During 2009, the average time for a decision to be given was 32 days from the day that the valid application (the IRAS form, with all the necessary attachments) was received by the Co-ordinator.