Research Governance roles and responsibilities
The Department of Health's Research Governance Framework clearly sets out the roles and responsibilities of those involved, which are shown below.
Glossary
The care organisation is the organisation(s) responsible for providing care to users and carers participating in the study.
Co-researchers are other members of the research team.
The employing organisation is the organisation which employs the main researcher or co-researchers. This organisation will normally hold the contract(s) with the funder(s) of the study. They are also responsible for the management of the funds provided.
Funder(s) is/are the organisation(s) providing the funding through contracts or grants.
The host organisation is the organisation within which the research is carried out.
Participants can be:
- carers
- members of staff employed by Salford Community, Health and Social Care directorate.
- professional social workers
- service users
- their relatives or friends
The principal/main researcher is the person designated as taking overall responsibility for the design, conduct and reporting of the study.
The research sponsor is the organisation responsible for:
- assuring the scientific quality of the proposed research.
- ensuring Ethics Committee approval is obtained where necessary.
- ensuring the management and monitoring of the research.
- ensuring that the research represents value for money.
The research supervisor is responsible for the management of the researcher(s).
Responsibilities
The researcher's responsibilities are:
- to carry out high quality research, in accordance with the Research Governance Framework.
- to consult a supervisor and/or the Research and Information Services Team of Salford Community, Health and Social Care directorate, prior to formulating a project plan.
- to submit a project plan to the Research and Information Services Team of Salford Community, Health and Social Care directorate, prior to commencing any project which demonstrates:
- methods of gaining informed and written consent.
- ways of involving proposed research participants in its design.
- awareness and compliance with health and safety issues.
- awareness and compliance with the Data Protection Act 1998.
- to report any adverse incidents in the appropriate manner.
- to disseminate findings appropriately.
- not to be wilfully guilty of research misconduct or fraud.
The research supervisor's responsibilities are:
- to offer advice concerning any research ideas.
- to ensure that any person wishing to carry out a study within Salford Community, Health and Social Care directorate is made thoroughly aware of the appropriate application procedure.
- to ensure the requirements of the Research and Information Services Team and Strategic Support Sections are known, in accordance with the Research Governance Framework.
- to offer regular support and advice throughout the execution of the study.
- to monitor the project progress.
The sponsor's responsibilties are:
- to develop and promote a quality research culture.
- to ensure that staff are supported in, and held to account for, the professional conduct of research.
- to ensure the proposed research is worthwhile.
- to ensure the proposed research offers value for money.
- to ensure that the research is of the highest quality.
- to ensure that the researcher(s) involved receive the necessary training to carry out the research.
- to have access to the necessary resources, in order to carry out the research successfully.
- to ensure that the methods proposed for the collection and analysis of data are ethical and appropriate.
- to ensure that both data protection issues and intellectual property rights have been addressed.
- to ensure that the work complies with the Research Governance Framework.
- to ensure that the project plan has approval from the appropriate independent review body.
- to ensure that the responsibilities of the organisations and individuals involved are clearly defined and agreed.
- to ensure that contracts are signed.
- to offer regular support and advice throughout the execution of the study.
- to monitor the project's progress.
The peer reviewer's responsibilities are:
- to give helpful and constructive criticism.
- to ensure that the standards of the departments/organisations/agencies they represent are maintained.
The Ethics Committee's responsibilities are:
- to review the research proposal.
- to ensure that all ethical considerations have been thoroughly considered.
- in accordance with the Research Governance Framework, to ensure the:
- dignity
- respect
- rights
- safety and well-being of participants.
This page was last updated on 29 March 2011
