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Research and knowledge exchange

Sponsored Research Covid-19 Guidance

Studies that are undertaken involving some aspect of NHS collaboration and have been subject to HRA/NHS REC approval) that have the Â鶹´«Ã½ of Sussex as the formal research ‘Sponsor’

The Â鶹´«Ã½ is conscious of the complexity of its portfolio of clinical research activity and is also mindful that as the COVID-19 outbreak evolves there will be unprecedented calls on the NHS and its resources. It is therefore vital that decisions on ongoing and planned research should be made in close consultation with sites and research funders.

 

Amendments
The HRA has published guidance on the types of amendments that can be submitted to the Sponsor that will not require a submission to the HRA -

 

Please also note that, as of June 2020, the HRA introduced a new Amendment Tool that replaced the previous processes.

 

When completed, the Amendment Tool spreadsheet should be submitted to the Sponsor in the usual manner (researchsponsorship@sussex.ac.uk)
Sponsorship applications for new studies and restarting those 'paused'
For new studies relating to COVID-19, the Â鶹´«Ã½ will continue to follow the , and it supports expediting standard Â鶹´«Ã½ research governance authorisations where possible.

The Sponsorship Sub-Committee (SSC), that oversees the Â鶹´«Ã½’s Sponsor responsibilities is, in principle, open to a ‘proportionate and pragmatic’ recommencement of research.  For full information on this please read the letter to Chief Investigators sent on 12 June 2020. Cases for restart will be considered at scheduled meetings of the SSC.

New applications and requests for restart should be accompanied by a completed copy of the Â鶹´«Ã½'s Restart Framework form.

Following the recent publication of the the SSC has agreed that this be used as the basis for paused studies to make the case for recommencement to the Sponsor.