The current UCO research ethics process and committee was constituted in 2005.
The UCO strives to produce work to high academic and ethical standards in all areas of practice. We believe that robust ethical review is an essential part of the research process as it contributes to assuring accessibility, quality and the safeguarding of participants and researchers. As part of this process all proposed research work undergoes ethical consideration whether it involves participants within the institution or outside the institution; this currently includes students and staff from the UCO and applications from external students and others who would like to carry out work usually involving our faculty, students or patients. The same criteria apply to funded or postgraduate research. We also review proposals from external institutions planning to research osteopathic practice outside of the institution.
The UCO adheres to standards of good practice identified in the Osteopathic Research Governance Framework produced by the National Council of Osteopathic Research. This framework was informed by existing national policy and adapted to the context of the osteopathic profession. Processes and procedures are reviewed and amended annually.
The UCO’s Research Governance and Integrity Policy and Research Misconduct Policy were developed in line with the UUK Concordat to Support Research Integrity, and set out our commitment to the following principles:
- That our research is underpinned with common values of rigour and integrity
- That we nurture a research environment that supports research of the highest standards of rigour and integrity
- That our research confirms to all ethical, legal and professional obligations
- That we use transparent, robust and fair processes to handle allegations of misconduct
- That we continue to monitor, and where necessary improve, the suitability and appropriateness of the mechanisms in place to provide assurances over the integrity of research.