Humanities and Social Sciences
Research Ethics Committee
(HSSREC)
April 2014
Ethics approval matters!
Who we are
Scope and remit of the HSSREC
Reports directly to University’s Research Governance and
Ethics Committee
Professor Julian Webb, is the current Chair of HSSREC
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4 Members - Faculty of Social Science
1 Member - Psychology Department
1 Member - Faculty of Arts
1 Member - Faculty of Medicine
2 Lay Members
1 Student Member
Secretary
Ex Officio – Head of Research Governance
Potentially 12 members at one meeting
http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/rss/researchgovernance/research_code_of_practice/rese
archethicscommittees/hssrec/
Where to find information
HSSREC WEB PAGES
AIM
Remit
1. To ensure that all non-NHS Research is of the
highest ethical standard, and is in line with
legislation and guidance concerning ethical
approval and governance.
2. To consider and monitor any issues related to
external ethics committee processes.
Currently (March 2014) all staff research from the
Faculty of Social Sciences
Faculty of Arts
Department of Psychology
A study that does not fall within the scope of NHS ethical approval and
involves human participants, their data and/or tissue must be sent to the
HSSREC for appropriate approval.
The HSSREC would not, however, normally expect to review studies/research
involving:
• Literature/Systematic Reviews
• Documentary Analysis
• Personal accounts published in the public domain such as chat rooms or
weblogs
In addition, the HSSREC would not normally require ethical review for:
• Interviews/consultation with key informants/service users during the
development of research proposals
• Stakeholder consultations during the developmental stage of research
proposals
Application to HSSREC
Application process
The Committee will normally only accept applications for ethical approval:
After
• funding has been awarded (in the instances where external funding is
sought)
Except
• when ethical approval forms part of the requirements of a grant
application or where it is helpful to the applicant for the review to take
place earlier
Internally Funded
• Applications relating to internally funded or own account research
should be submitted and approved before commencement of the study
If the University of Warwick is not
the lead organisation for the
research, an expedited application
is requested - copies of the
original ethics application and
award letter must be attached.…
For approval by the Chair
STUDENT RESEARCH
Departments will be responsible for
ensuring the ethical review of all
student research in accordance with
the following Guidelines for student
research.
Any research which is
deemed by the Chair of
Department/Nominated Ethics
Representative to require full
ethical committee approval
should be sent to HSSREC in
accordance with procedures
for staff research.
If in doubt, researchers, student
supervisors and students should
discuss their research with
Professor Julian Webb, Chair of the
HSSREC or with the HSSREC
Secretary.
Principal Investigators should apply.
Applications for students must be made by the
supervisor who acts as Principal Investigator using
the HSSREC application form and all applications
must be supported by the signature of the Chair of
Department.
Principal Investigators are advised to read the
Guidelines before completing the application form.
Example of what was covered over the period of
Two HSSREC meetings in 2013/14
Full Ethical Review
undertaken during the
above meetings:
Expedited Review
undertaken since the
last RGAEC meeting:
Chair’s Action
undertaken since the
last RGAEC meeting:
22 applications have been
considered under full
review.
CEDAR
2
Chemistry
1
Economics
2
CEI
1
WBS
3
Sociology
3
Psychology
7
English
1
Cultural Policy
1
Computer Sci
1
No applications have
been considered under
expedited review:
11 applications have
been considered under
Chair’s Approval.
Economics
2
WBS
5
Psychology
2
WMG
2
9 applications were given
full approval, 11 were given
conditional approval and 2
applications were referred
for further information.
1 application submitted
was withdrawn. It was
replaced by a full
application.
All 11 applications were
given full approval
through DR@W.
Fully completed Applications should be sent in hard copy and email format to Debra
Bloxham in Research Support Services. Applications must be submitted at least 2 weeks
in advance of the next Committee meeting to allow members appropriate time to
review applications.
An up to date schedule of meetings can be found here.
Next meetings for
2013
Committee Dates:
Papers due by:
attend HSSREC
15th May Applicants
2014 do not normally
1st May
2014
17th July 2014
2nd July 2014
Applications Checklist (to be found at end of application form)
FREQUENT OMISSIONS / ERRORS:
1. Failure to follow guidelines on RSS/HSSREC pages.
2. Bad grammar, spelling.
3. The Application form – please use LAY Language, we may come back to ask
for the full protocol / proposal if we feel it would be helpful.
4. Participant Information Sheet which must be in Warwick Format – Headed
paper!
5. Consent Form which must be in Warwick Format – Headed paper.
6. Copies of any relevant authorisations including HOD.
7. The complaints rubric.
Review Procedure
• a) Applications will be sent to all
HSSREC members prior to the
meeting and comments will be
collected, discussed and recorded
at the meeting.
• b) Applicants will be notified of the
HSSREC’s decision as soon as
possible after the meeting in
writing.
OUTCOMES
1. Approved – no
amendment.
2. Conditionally Approved –
minor amendments
required.
3. Resubmit – needs to be
resubmitted with
substantial amendments.
4. Rejected – ethically
unsound.
Once approved – any changes
must be notified to the Chair via
the HSSREC Secretary.
Chair’s Action
Chair’s Action may be taken (with the advice of other Committee members if
appropriate) to:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Determine whether or not an application falls within the remit of the
committee;
Confirm the approval of conditionally-approved applications when the
conditions have been met;
Approve application amendments which are typographical corrections,
minor re-drafting or administrative points;
Note correspondence received for information only;
Approve expedited review applications according to approved process.
Urgent approval under exceptional circumstances.
Expedited review
Can occur where the potential for risk of harm to participants and others
affected by the proposed research is minimal.
Please complete sections A and B of this form together with one of the annexes
and return to the HSSREC Secretary along with a copy of the study protocol.
1. Annex A. Approval of minor amendments to projects that have already
received ethical approval.
2. Annex B. Approval of research involving the review of secondary or
historical data where there is no participant involvement.
3. Annex C. Approval of research where participant involvement is limited to
consultancy/advisory input only.
The Registrar has overall responsibility for governance throughout the University. You
are advised to see the University's Complaints and Feedback Procedure. Further
information about the complaints procedure is available at:
http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/rss/researchgovernance/complaints_procedure/
Any complaints should be directed to:
The Director of Delivery Assurance
Registrar's Office
University House
University of Warwick
Coventry
CV4 8UW
[email protected]
not to the Chief Investigator, research team member, Head of Department or anyone
else involved in the study.
Useful Documents: Recently accessed by HSSREC applicants:
• UKRIO Code of Practice for Research. An electronic version of the publication is available
from UKRIO’s website, www.ukrio.org
• ESRC Informed consent in Social Research Wiles et-al 2005, This paper comprises a
literature review outlining the current issues and debates relating to informed consent in
social research http://eprints.ncrm.ac.uk/85/1/MethodsReviewPaperNCRM-001.pdf
• Ethical Approaches to gathering information from adolescents and children in social
settings “Horizon's” http://www.popcouncil.org/pdfs/horizons/childrenethics.pdf
• WHO Casebook on ethical issues in international research 2009
http://www.who.int/rpc/publications/ethics_casebook/en/index.html
• Social Research Association (www.the-sra.org.uk/Ethicals.htm GUIDELINES
• British Sociological Association (BSA) www.britsoc.co.uk/library/ethicsguidelines2002.doc)
• British Education Research Association www.bera.ac.uk/publications/guides.php)5