Research governance and general data protection regulation (GDPR)

Research governance is a vital part of Grounded Research. It administers the broad range of regulations, principles and standards of good practice that ensure high quality research. It involves setting standards to improve research quality and safeguard the public, promoting good practice and enhancing ethical and scientific quality.

The research governance function is based in the Grounded Research Hub at Tickhill Road.

You can contact them at:

• Email: rdash.research-gov@nhs.net

Open-door policy

The Research team offers an open-door policy to all RDaSH staff to provide comprehensive support for any aspect of the research process.

This includes protocol development, funding identification and full support with the integrated research approval system (IRAS) submissions to gain the relevant NHS approvals for each project.

The research office seeks to simplify and streamline the process from having a research idea to testing this in clinical practice. The office aims to:

• align staff with academic colleagues with similar fields of interest
• assist with applications through the IRAS system, including applications to national research ethics committees
• ensure all necessary support departments are fully informed and consulted to ensure the study can be successfully delivered
• advise on funding streams
• provide ongoing support throughout the conduct of the study to support compliance with any national regulations

General data protection regulation (GDPR)

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is a legal framework that sets guidelines for the collection and processing of personal information from individuals.

As an NHS organisation we use personally identifiable information to conduct research to improve health, care and services. And as a publicly funded organisation, we must ensure that it is in the public interest when we use personally identifiable information from people who have agreed to take part in research.

How we will use your data

When you agree to take part in a research study, we will use your data in the ways needed to conduct and analyse the research study. Your rights to access, change or move your information are limited, as we need to manage your information in specific ways for the research to be reliable and accurate.

If you withdraw from a study, we will keep the information about you that we have already obtained. To safeguard your rights, we will use the minimum personally identifiable information possible.

This page explains how health researchers use information from patients.

NHS Health Research Authority Patient Data and Research leaflet (opens in new window).

Health and care research should serve the public interest, which means that we must demonstrate that our research serves the interests of society. We do this by following the UK Policy Framework for Health and Social Care Research (opens in new window).

Page last reviewed: December 23, 2024
Next review due: December 23, 2025