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Research governance in health and social care: notes for charities

  • Document type:
    Publication
  • Author:
    Department of Health
  • Published date:
    31 July 2002
  • Primary audience:
    Professionals
  • Publication format:
    Electronic only
  • Gateway reference:
    Not required
  • Pages:
    7
  • Copyright holder:
    Crown copyright

Explanatory notes on the implications for charities of the Research Governance Framework (RGF) for Health and Social Care. By setting out the responsibilities of a research sponsor, the RGF highlights roles that must be performed if the public is to be reassured about research in the NHS. The sponsor draws together its own and others' responsibilities, ensuring they have all been allocated appropriately. For charity-funded research, the starting point is that the RGF builds on duties a charity has in any case when it carries out, funds or commissions research.

Questions covered include:

  • Is a charity more likely to be sued if it becomes a sponsor & something goes wrong?
  • If a charity declares it can be a Recognised Sponsor, does it have to be the sponsor for all the research it funds in health & social care?
  • Even if a charity is not liable for any failure, won't there be damage to its reputation if it finds itself in court?
  • What is the effect of the EU Directive on good clinical practice in clinical trials of medicinal products?
  • Wasn't it the Department of Health's intention to introduce a lighter touch regime for non-medicinal product research outside the EU Directive?
  • Does a charity need to assess the risk when funding clinical research?
  • Will DH assess or accredit institutions?
  • What happens in the interim?
  • Can Universities be sponsors for charity funded research, when they are the employers of the researchers?
  • Can a charity redefine its relationship with a researcher's employer, to avoid potential liability?
  • Can DH offer any encouragement to the charity sector?

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