The National Research Ethics Service
The National Research Ethics Service has transferred to the HRA. This provides immediate efficiencies as it brings together the functions previously provided by the National Patient Safety Agency and the Research Ethics Committee Appointing Authority functions previously held by the Strategic Health Authorities. The establishment of the HRA will provide a stable and efficient platform for the NRES. It will enable NRES to complete identified service improvements, such as UK-wide e-submission through IRAS (Integrated Research Application System).
The HRA will also facilitate further coordination across regulation and governance, with early proposals including a new advice service from the HRA, registration on IRAS as a future platform for a national assurance and registration of researchers and consideration of integrated reporting systems. The Government intends to transfer other functions to the HRA and legislate to establish the HRA as a non-departmental public body, with clauses to be published for pre-legislative scrutiny in the second session of this Parliament.
