WA health system ethics reform: researchers
WA health system ethics reform: researchers
At each step of the reform, researchers will receive updates via various channels from the Department of Health, the Research Governance Service (RGS), and Health Service Provider (HSP) ethics offices outlining the impact of any changes and seeking feedback about the process.
The Department of Health and HSPs will endeavour to ensure minimal disruption during transition to the WA Health Central Human Research Ethics Committe (HREC) structure.
If researchers have recently submitted or intend to submit a new ethics application to an HREC which is no longer accepting new projects as part of the first phase of the implementation (i.e., WACHS, NMAMHS, or KEMH HREC), the application will be redirected to another suitable HREC for review. The relevant ethics office and CORE will contact affected researchers to facilitate any changes required.
Existing projects and new ethics applications submitted to other HRECs in the WA health system will not be impacted at this stage.
When the WA Health Central HREC structure is fully operational, all ethics submissions should be made to that HREC in the RGS, and queries should be directed to the CORE staff at HREC@health.wa.gov.au
Research governance process
Research governance processes will not change as part of the ethics reform and the research governance offices will continue to operate as usual. Governance submissions should be submitted to the relevant research governance office/s as usual.
Approved projects
There will be no change to projects which have already received ethical approval at this stage. Monitoring submissions for ethics (e.g., amendments, progress reports, safety reports, and final reports) will continue to be handled by the HREC/s who first approved the project until the WA Health Central HREC is fully operational.
Ethics monitoring (post-approval) submissions
For existing approved projects, researchers should continue to submit monitoring (e.g., progress reports, amendments, safety reports, final reports) to the HREC/s that approved the project.
When the WA Health Central HREC has the operational capacity to undertake the monitoring of submissions across the WA Health system, all existing projects will be transferred to the to that HREC.
Submissions to the WA Aboriginal Health Ethics Committee (WAAHEC)
Submissions to WAAHEC will continue to be managed via their existing processes. WAAHEC is a specialist HREC that operates externally to WA Health and is therefore outside the scope of this reform.
Please refer to the WAAHEC website for more information on their submission processes: Western Australian Aboriginal Health Ethics Committee – AHCWA (external site).
New projects
Existing HSP ethics offices will be able to provide advice about the submission of new projects throughout the reform implementation. The CORE can provide additional support, if required.
Where a redirection or resubmission needs to occur, projects will be redirected to an HREC with the capacity to provide a review that complies with the National Health and Medical Research Council’s (NHMRC) National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research (The National Statement) (external site).
This process will be supported by staff at HSP ethics offices and CORE to ensure a smooth transition.
More information
For more information on the reform, contact the CORE via HREC@health.wa.gov.au
Last reviewed: 27-03-2024
Produced by
Office of Medical Research and Innovation