Research Governance Board - Terms of Reference

The Research Governance Board’s is a partnership body set up to manage the Research Governance Framework. The Board is also the approvals panel, although it can delegate this role to the Research Governance Co-ordinator.

The Board will ensure that the Research Governance Framework competently processes and monitors research, including a study, survey, evaluation or consultation. Such research will be subject to the Framework if it involves services users, their families or carers and council staff either directly or indirectly.

In doing so the Panel will oversee arrangements to : -

Promote research and research outcomes both within and outside the council.

Review all applications for research.

Make decisions about research applications on the basis of set criteria.

Ensure consistency and quality of research standards.

Prevent multiple or repeated requests for access to service users and staff.

Provide advice to researchers about the process, their research proposal and approval decisions.

Protect the interests of service users, their families or carers.

Protect the interests of staff.

Ensure the Council and partners are not exposed to undue risk arising from research.

Ensure that research is monitored by appropriate council or partner officers.

Ensure the Council and partner’s legal requirements and obligations are met (e.g. Equal Opportunities, CRB, Data Protection, Caldecott).

Oversee a register of approved research projects.

Periodically report on research activity involving services users, their families or carers and council staff.

Delegate such decisions (e.g. to a Research Co-ordinator) as it considers fit. This will normally apply to non-complex or non-contentious applications.

Monitor these delegated decisions.

Monitor research outcomes.

Establish a library of completed research that has been undertaken with council staff and with service users, their carers and their families.

Page last updated on: 14/09/2007