Obstacles to gaining ethical approval for a multi-centre study of family support |
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| Authors: | Kristen MacPherson Rebekah Lattin-Rawstrone Rob Senior Jacqueline Barnes |
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| Institution: | 1. Institute for the Study of Children, Families and Social Issues, Birkbeck, University of London, UK;2. Leopold Muller Centre for Child and Family Mental Health, Royal Free and University College Medical School, University College London and Tavistock and Portman NHS Trust, UK;3. Institute for the Study of Children, Families and Social Issues, Birkbeck, University of London and Tavistock and Portman NHS Trust, UK |
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| Abstract: | The NHS has emphasised the need for rigorous evaluations of preventative home-visiting support (Bull and others, 2004) in building a public health evidence base. Interdisciplinary studies involving the NHS in any capacity are subject to ethical review by NHS Research Ethics Committees. However, the current process of ethical review does not respond flexibly to research conducted by non-NHS organisations. Through documentary analysis, this paper describes the experience of a non-clinical research evaluation of a family support service offered during pregnancy and the difficulties encountered in gaining ethical approval. Implications for social science research with minimal NHS involvement are discussed and recommendations for improvements suggested. |
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