Research governance is defined as: The broad range of regulations, principles and standards of good practice that exist to achieve, and continuously improve, research quality across all aspects of health and social care in the UK.

Organisations and individuals that have responsibilities for health and social care research include funders, sponsors, researchers and their employers, research sites and care providers. Health and social care research is any health-related research that involves patients, service users and the public, their tissue and/or data.

If you are involved in research of this kind, it is important that you are aware of the principles of good practice in the management and conduct of health and social care research in the UK.

These principles are set out in the UK Policy Framework for Health and Social Care Research. These principles protect and promote the interests of patients, service users and the public in health and social care research, by describing ethical conduct and proportionate, assurance-based management of health and social care research, so as to support and facilitate high-quality research in the UK that has the confidence of patients, service users and the public.