Research governance
Research governance helps ensure accountability, patient safety and ethical compliance for all research conducted under Ramsay Health Care. Here’s what you need to know about the processes, approvals and resources involved in conducting research at Ramsay facilities.
What is research governance?
Research governance is the process institutions use to conduct research responsibly and ethically. This includes adhering to ethical principles, guidelines for responsible research conduct, relevant legislation and institutional policies.
- Patient safety: Research is designed and conducted with patient wellbeing as a priority.
- Clear responsibilities: Departments and individuals involved in a research project understand and agree to their roles.
- Proper approvals: All necessary ethical and governance approvals are in place before research begins.
For research at Ramsay facilities, approval is required from both:
- a Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC)
- the Research Governance Office
Visit our research ethics page for details on HREC applications.
Start your application
Conducting research at Ramsay facilities
Governance review is required for research that involves:
- Ramsay patients during their admission.
- Ramsay staff participating as research subjects or assisting with recruitment.
- Access to Ramsay patient medical records or existing data.
Only accredited practitioners and Ramsay Health Care employees may apply to conduct research at Ramsay facilities.
For more information on submitting applications in REGGS, refer to our REGGS User Guide.
Steps to apply for research governance approval
Register your application
- Log in to the REGGS Portal and complete the project registration.
This step determines whether governance and/or ethics approval is required for your study and links to all relevant Ramsay sites.
Prepare your documentation
Download the governance checklist to ensure you submit all required documents, including:
- a valid HREC approval
- insurance documentation
- any study agreements or contracts
Note: Site-specific participant information and consent forms (PISCFs) must include a Ramsay contact person who is not directly involved in the research (e.g. a Facility Director of Clinical Services or a member of the National Research Unit).
Submit your application
Applications are reviewed by:
- the National Research Unit
- the Facility Executive (e.g. CEO, Director of Clinical Services or Director of Medical Services).
If required, additional review may be conducted by the Medical Advisory Committee or a relevant clinical group.
Governance fees
The National Research Unit charge the following fees for Research Governance Applications.
Effective 1 March 2023
Please note all fees are exclusive of GST.
| For a research project that is commercially sponsored (single facility) | $4,000 |
| Additional sites for an existing research project that is commercially sponsored | $1,250 per additional site (capped at a maximum additional fee of $2,500) |
| Clinical registry application | $4,000 |
| For a research project that is a collaborative group study, a not-for-profit entity, a medical research institute, a university or investigator initiated trials* | $500 |
| Investigator-initiated research conducted by a Ramsay Health Care employee, an accredited specialist, or a student without funding. | $0 |
| Annual research governance administration fee – commercially sponsored research projects* | $1,000 per annum |
* N.B. Fees can be waived at the discretion of the National Research Unit
Notes:
- Initial application review fees are charged upon submission and non-refundable.
- An annual management fee is charged in advance upon approval and thereafter on the anniversary of the approval date.
- Fees may be waived at the discretion of the National Research Unit.
- All fees are payable to the Ramsay Hospital Research Foundation (ABN 11 607 036 948).
Research governance conditions
Approval is subject to conditions such as:
- valid HREC approval
- ongoing maintenance of required insurance
- finalisation of agreements or contracts
Applications will not receive final approval until all documentation is submitted.
Research registries
Governance applications for registries are submitted through the REGGS Portal.
Visit the REGGS page for helpful resources.
Research agreements and contracts
For advice on research agreements, please contact our contracts team at RHCResearchContracts@ramsayhealth.com.au.
Contact us
Ramsay Hospital Research Foundation
Level 7, Tower B
7 Westbourne St,
St Leonards NSW 2065
Email: researchgovernance@ramsayhealth.com.au
Phone: +612 9433 3854
Governance resources
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