Ethics and research governance in a multicentre study: add 150 days to your study protocol

doi:10.1136/bmj.330.7495.847

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Glyn Elwyn, professor (glyn.elwyn@btinternet.com),
Anne Seagrove, researcher,
Kym Thorne, researcher,
Wai Yee Cheung, senior lecturer

University of Wales, Swansea SA2 8PP

EDITOR—Concern is growing that health service research will be impeded by “research governance” procedures, in addition to the difficulties of gaining ethical approval.1^–3 We describe the problems experienced by an evaluation study team (funded by the Service Delivery and Organisation Research Programme) that wanted to assess the impact of modernising endoscopy services in 20 NHS Trusts in England. Ethical approval was given by a multicentre research ethics committee in 47 working days. Achieving research governance approval was more difficult.

The study used postal surveys of patients to assess the impact of endoscopy service innovations …