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Online ethics review system
Peter A. Bath (Deputy Chair, UREC)Peggy Haughton (Minute Secretary, UREC)
Background• University Research Ethics Policy launched
2004:• Ethics review for all research involving human
participants, data or tissue to under
• Annual report of research ethics reviews
• Paper-based systems used in departments using templates provided by RIS
• Increasing number of applications since 2004
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Proposal for online system
• Proposed, discussed and agreed at UREC meetings in 2012-13
• Development by epiGenesys throughout 2013
• User group set up in 2013• Meetings between epiGenesys, users and members
of UREC
• Ongoing consultation feedback throughout 2013-14
• Feedback used to develop system further
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Functionality of online system • Access for applicants, reviewers and administrators, supervisors
• Allows applicants to include all necessary information and forms
• Manages all documents with each application to provide complete record of:• information sheets, consent forms, reviews, etc.
• record for each completed phase of application
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Functionality• Data securely stored within the
University system • cannot be accessed by anyone outside
• Webpage for the online system
• Help sheets provided for groups using the system:• applicants, supervisors, ethics
administrators, reviewers
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Pilot phase• Online system launched with pilot
departments in December 2013
• Five departments in initial pilot phase:• Information School; School of Education; School of
Law; School of Health and Related Research (ScHARR); School of Languages and Cultures
• Feedback very positive and suggestions/ comments being used to fine-tune the system
• Now being rolled out to other Departments across the University
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Improvements during pilot phase:
• Time for applicants to complete a page within the system extended significantly to allow time for completion
• Option added for applicants to indicate that they are undergoing ethics review in a different department, e.g., if part of a cross-university project
• Option for ‘review by committee’ where departments assess ethics applications by Ethics committee
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Improvements• Option added for ethics administrators
to change the reviewer:• sends automated email to the ‘new’
reviewer asking them to review the project, and one to the ‘old’ reviewer telling them they are no longer required
• Button added to ‘Prompt reviewer’ - sends a reminder email to reviewers
• Further web pages added with information and help sheets
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Current status:• 16 Departments using the system from
4 Faculties using the online system
• Additional 11 departments:• Architecture; Computer Science; Sociological Studies;
Department of Landscape; Department of Mechanical Engineering; Management School; Journalism Studies; Human Communication Sciences; Town & Regional Planning; Music; East Asian Studies
• 7 departments have seen applications through the whole review process
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Next steps:• Ongoing improvements following
feedback
• Further departments welcome to pilot the system• Contact Peggy ([email protected])
• Demonstration session today after lunch
• Looking to roll-out across the University throughout remainder of 2013-14.
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