Senate

Subject: Proposed change to membership of Ethical Advisory Committee

Origin: Secretary, Ethical Advisory Committee

At its meeting on 8 April 2004, and against a background of increasing institutional responsibilities in relation to clinical and other research trials, the Health Safety and Environmental (HS&E) Committee proposed that the links between it and the Ethical Advisory Committee (EAC) should be consolidated by making the HS&E Officer a full ex-officio member of the EAC. This was agreed by the EAC at its meeting on 6 May 2004.

It should be noted that Wendy Jones (Occupational Health Adviser) currently serves as a co-opted member of the EAC, and therefore there is already some input from a health and safety perspective. However, Wendy’s Occupational Health background allows her to offer more to the Committee than just a health and safety perspective, so also having the HS&E Officer as a member of the EAC would not represent a duplication of Wendy's existing role. Further, Wendy's other commitments make it difficult for her to attend all EAC meetings, and therefore extending full membership of the EAC to the HS&E Officer would provide a more consistent and formal health and safety input.

The proposed composition of the EAC is therefore as follows:

Chair: appointed by Senate

Two members appointed by each Faculty Board

Health, Safety and Environmental Officer

Ethical and Environmental Officer (Students’ Union)

Up to four co-opted members (to include one external occupational health expert)

Regularly in attendance: A member of the Research Office or Research Team

Author: Chris Dunbobbin

June 2004