Introduction

Students of health care and the biomedical and social sciences generally require some training in the methods of research in their disciplines. At upper undergraduate and postgraduate levels, such training is often deepened by requiring students to carry out research projects themselves. The situation regarding the ethical review of such projects has been unclear in the UK and elsewhere for some time. Recent guidance from the UK Department of Health has created some clarity in this area, but there is still much room for interpretation and debate. In this brief chapter, we discuss this guidance and set out some general principles for the review of student projects.

Student research and research governance

Current thinking on the ethics of research lays great stress on the implementation of effective structures and processes for quality management of research and ensuring that research protects the interests of participants while facilitating wider health services, social and scientific goals. This approach is known as ‘research governance’. In 2000, the UK Government's Department of Health issued guidance on a general approach to research governance throughout the UK National Health Service (NHS), the Research Governance Framework for Health and Social Care. As part of the implementation programme for this framework, in 2001 the Department of Health's Central Office for Research Ethics Committees (COREC) issued Governance Arrangements for Research Ethics Committees (GAFREC).

This replaced previously existing guidance specifying the role and responsibilities of Research Ethics Committees (RECs) in the NHS, and sets out the responsibilities of RECs, researchers and sponsors vis-à-vis the ethics and governance of research projects in the NHS.