Purpose

The Health and Social Care Research Oversight Group (“the Group”) provides strategic direction, oversight, and assurance for the University’s health and social care research activities. The Group will guide the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of governance processes, ensuring that the University is prepared for future growth in this area and operates in line with sector best practice, regulatory requirements, and the University strategy.

Scope

The Group will oversee the governance principles supporting all institutional research activity involving:

• Health and social care interventions, services, or delivery
• Human participants engaging in health-related research
• Research requiring compliance with regulatory frameworks (e.g., Human Tissue Act; UK Framework for Research in Health and Social Care, etc)
• Processes and systems that support the University acting as Research Sponsor or Host for health and social care studies The Group does not replace existing Research Ethics Committees (RECs). It is an evolution of the External and Sponsorship Research Ethics Committee to provides oversight, integration, and strategic governance, complementing and strengthening existing processes.

Responsibilities

Quality Management Systems and SOPs

• Codevelop, review, approve, and champion the institutional Quality Management System (QMS) and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) relating to health and social care research
• Ensure SOPs remain aligned with external regulatory requirements and best practice

Enhancing Institutional Capability

• Identify common issues from HRA feedback, audit findings, and quality review processes.
• Provide recommendations to strengthen reviewer training, applicant support, and research governance literacy.
• Promote a culture of high quality, ethical and compliant research practice.

Audit, Monitoring, and Compliance

• Explore and recommend appropriate models for institutional auditing and monitoring of studies.
• Review compliance with relevant legislation, regulations, and good practice standards.
• Highlight areas of risk and recommend mitigation strategies.

Review of Research Activity

• Receive and discuss end of study reports, monitoring reports, and lessons learned.
• Identify institutional themes, risks, and opportunities emerging from these reports.
• Recommend improvement actions and escalate concerns as appropriate.

Alignment with Other Governance Structures

• Work in partnership with existing research ethics committees to ensure coherent and complementary governance arrangements.
• Develop a clear framework describing respective roles, boundaries, and interaction points.
• Ensure appropriate information flows between committees.

Reporting

• Report twice annually to the Academic Ethics and Integrity Committee (AEIC).
• Provide escalations or urgent matters to AEIC as required.

Membership

Composition

Membership will be appointed through an open call for expressions of interest, with all roles recognised in WAMS in line with tariffs established for existing ethics committees.

• Chair (senior academic with relevant expertise)
• Academic staff with health, social care, or clinical research expertise (one to act as Deputy Chair when needed)
• Professional Services staff with research governance, integrity, or compliance expertise
• Members with expertise in regulation (e.g., HTA, data governance)
• Academic staff with responsibility for reviewing applications for sponsorship
• Early career researcher representative

Term of Office

• The Group will be set up for 12 months in the first instance, to be reviewed thereafter.

Quorum

A minimum of 50% of membership including either the Chair or Deputy Chair.

Meetings

• The Group will meet a minimum of four times per year, with additional extraordinary meetings convened as required.
• Secretariat support will be provided by the Research Policy, Governance and Integrity team.
• Papers will normally be circulated at least one week in advance.

Decision Making

• Decisions will typically be reached by consensus.
• Where consensus cannot be reached, a simple majority vote will apply.
• In the event of a tie, the Chair will have the casting vote.

Conflicts of Interest

Members must declare conflicts of interest at the start of each meeting. The Chair (or Deputy Chair) will determine appropriate actions, which may include recusal from specific discussions or decisions.

Review of Terms of Reference

This group will be established for 12 months in the first instance.