What is a sponsorship?
We are now required to obtain sponsorship from the University for any research related to health and social care. What this means is that the University will need to assume legal responsibility for this type of research carried out by a university employee or student, ensuring that the research meets certain standards, and insurance and indemnity are in place when necessary.
When do I need a sponsorship?
You need a sponsorship if you are conducting research related to health and/or social care. This includes research within the NHS and research involving patients, service users or their relatives or carers, but is much broader, including research within the community and can cover topics such as physical health, mental health, lifestyle changes and fitness tracking. Some representative scenarios include research:
- involving the NHS
- involving prisoners
- involving adults with incapacity (AWI), such as those with dementia or brain damage
- concerned with the protection/promotion of public health
- concerned with healthcare within the community care system
For more details, please read this document explaining the definition of this research category, and this list of scenarios that provides more examples.
What do I do if I’m still not sure if this applies to my study?
If you are unsure whether this applies to your study, please contact cahss.ethics.res@ed.ac.uk for advice. The School Ethics Team will not be able to answer this question.
And what do I have to do if I know this applies to my study?
If your proposed research falls under this category, before submitting an ethics application to the School, you must request sponsorship from the University through the College Research Ethics Team. Complete the CAHSS Sponsorship Review ProForma (docx) and email it to cahss.res.ethics@ed.ac.uk.