Research Ethics and Governance Policy
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Mandatory requirements in relation to the approval, administration, coordination, and management of all research across SA Health
Ethics and governance in South Australia
SA Health is committed to supporting the conduct of high quality health and medical research across the South Australian public health system.
The ethical and governance reviews of research are an important step in ensuring the quality of research and maintaining the welfare of research participants. It is a requirement that all research conducted at South Australian public health organisations, or involving staff or clients of South Australian public health organisations, complies with the SA Health Research Ethics and Governance Policy (PDF 214KB). This includes all SA Health hospitals, regional health services, public health clinics, community health services and any associated programs.
What research requires ethical review?
In accordance with the National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research (2023), human research is conducted with or about people, their data or tissue. Human Research Ethics Committees (HRECs) are required to review research that involves the following methodologies:
- conducting surveys, interviews or focus groups
- performing psychological, physiological or medical testing or treatment
- observational studies
- accessing personal documents or other materials of research participants
- collecting and using body organs, tissues or fluids (for example skin, blood, urine, saliva, hair, bones, tumour and other biopsy specimens) or exhaled breath
- accessing personal information (in individually identifiable, re-identifiable or non-identifiable form) as part of an existing published or unpublished source or database.
What research requires governance review?
A governance review, via a site specific assessment (SSA) application, is required for each research project that is undertaken within a SA Health facility, or involving SA Health resources, data, staff, patients or clients. This is to be submitted in conjunction with the ethics application. One study may involve multiple SA Health sites, each requiring its own SSA review. For more information, refer to the SA Health research governance page.
SA Health review pathways
All greater than low risk ethics applications will be reviewed by a full HREC and must be submitted via Research GEMS online.
Research that is deemed lower risk as per the National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research (2023) may have a different application and review pathway depending on the local research office process. This may be external to Reseach GEMS. Refer to the SA Health research application risk pathways flowchart (PDF 31KB) and contact the research office before commencing your application.
National mutual acceptance scheme
National Mutual Acceptance (NMA) is the system of a single scientific and ethical review of multi-centre human research projects across Australian jurisdictions (public health organisations only). All Australian states and territories participate in NMA. For more information, refer to the streamlined ethical review page.
State mutual acceptance scheme
For research projects occurring at more than one South Australian public health organisation, the SA Health single ethical review model allows a single (once-only) ethical review for applicable projects which will be accepted at all sites across SA Health. A SSA application is also required for each participating site involved in the project. For more information, refer to the streamlined ethical review page.
Research office processing times
The SA Health research offices aim to process new ethics submissions within 60 clock on days (i.e. the days the application is being processed and reviewed by the office) and SSA applications within 30 days. The latest processing times for ethics and governance applications are documented in the research office processing times (PDF 251KB).
SA Health fees schedule
The SA Health fees schedule (PDF 185KB) applies to the review of research ethics and governance applications within SA Health. Not all applications are charged fees. Contact the relevant research office for more information.
Frequently asked questions
The frequently asked questions document (PDF 275KB) has answers to many common questions about the ethics and governance review process. Contact a research office for any other questions or concerns.