Application process

Project registration

As part of research governance, all research projects must be notified to and approved by the Northern Trust before they begin. This is called research governance, management or Research and Development approval and is required in addition to ethics approval.

Integrated Research Application System (IRAS)

The Integrated Research Application System is used for applying for the permissions and approvals for health and social care/community care research in the UK.  The system allows you to: enter information about a project once instead of duplicating information in separate application forms; use filters to ensure that the data collected and collated is appropriate to the type of study and the permissions and approvals required; and meet regulatory and governance requirements

Applications should be submitted by email to the Northern Trust Research and Development Office.

Integrated Research Application System

The following documents are required and are available on the Integrated Research Application System:

• NHS Research and Development form
• NHS Research and Development form submission checklist
• All documents listed on the NHS Research and Development form submission checklist, as appropriate to the research study
• Site-specific information (SSI) form (NHS sites) (where NHSCT is acting as a research site)
• SSI form submission checklist (where NHSCT is acting as a research site)

A Site Specific Information form is not required if the Northern Trust is only acting as a participant identification centre. For further information see the guidance on IRAS.

Further guidance is available in HSC Trust Research Governance Permission:

Preparing and submitting an application

Research and Development approval

Projects must receive Research and Development approval from the Northern Trust Research Governance Committee and ethical approval from an ethics committee before work is started.

Research and Development approval will be given for Northern Trust only. If a project is taking place in other NHS organisations, applications for Research and Development approval must be made to each individual host organisation where the project will take place.

Information for Researchers

Cross-border arrangements for site specific information

After approval

Researchers are asked to provide regular progress reports using a standard Progress report proforma.
Final reports should be sent to the Research and Development Office.

Progress Report Proforma
Final Report Proforma