External Ethics Services

External Ethics Review

The University of Portsmouth is able to offer an ethics review service for projects that fall outside the requirements for statutory ethics review by the Health Research Authority. Reviews are chaired by an experienced ethics chair (Dr Simon Kolstoe), and can provide reassurance to research sponsors (and funders) that ethical considerations particularly around the involvement of humans as research participants are appropriate. At this time we cannot provide an ethics review of animal research.

A full standard operating procedure and terms of reference can be provided on enquiry. The cost is approximately £2000 depending on the complexity of the project.

For further information please contact simon.kolstoe@port.ac.uk

Training for Researchers and Ethics committee members

We are able to offer training ranging from one hour department/research talks through to whole day sessions for both researchers and especially research ethics committee members. Topics may include:

• How research ethics contributes to good research
• The difference between research ethics, governance and integrity
• How does research ethics apply to different academic subject areas?
• What should research ethics committees consider when reviewing a project?
• The practicalities of a proportionate and timely review
• Evolving research ethics policy to meet new research challenges
• The NHS research ethics review process
• The MOD research ethics review process

Training is led by an experienced research ethics committee chair who is currently chair of an NHS REC and MODREC.

Research Ethics Consultancy

In addition to project reviews and training, we are able to advise on policy updates for Universities, Companies and Government Departments (see for instance the MOD’s JSP536 that we redrafted), and also provide expertise for:

• Research misconduct panels
• “Ethics Expert” provision as required by European Commission for some funding calls