Do I need NHS REC review?
September 2020 – this tool has been updated to improve accessibility.
March 2020 – this tool has been updated to: align with the latest version of Governance Arrangements for Research Ethics Committees (GAfREC); provide additional guidance and clarifications about the scope of this tool; and to provide the detailed algorithm of policy and legal requirements for NHS Research Ethics Committee review alongside the decision tool.
September 2018 – this tool has been updated to align with revision of Governance Arrangements for Research Ethics Committees.
This tool was developed by the HRA, in liaison with the Devolved Administrations, based on the legal and policy requirements for NHS REC review as set out in GAfREC.
The Medical Research Council (MRC) Regulatory Support Centre worked in partnership with the Health Research Authority (HRA) to develop this tool as part of a secondment to the HRA to support the improvement of advice provision for the research community.
This tool has been developed with input from the research community. We would like to thank all those who have contributed.