Research Passport

The Research Passport procedure is the mechanism for obtaining an honorary research contract from the NHS for researchers who:

• will have a direct impact on patient care, for example, providing prevention, diagnosis or treatment of illness
• will have access to identifiable patient information
• will have indirect contact with patients/service users whose research has a direct bearing on the quality of their care, for example, some types of telephone interviews
• wish to access "with consent" identifiable patient data, tissues or organs with likely direct bearing on the quality of their care (with likely impact on prevention, diagnosis or treatment)

The research passport:

• lists the Pre-Engagement Checks (see download at bottom of page) required to conduct the proposed research. These could include an up-to-date criminal records check (Disclosure Scotland) check and Occupational Health screening
• relies on assurances offered by those employers who have already conducted these checks, to be accepted by the NHS hosts as part of issuing honorary research contracts
• Avoids the need for duplicate checks at other NHS sites where the study is to be conducted

The output of the research passport process is an honorary research contract for an NHS Organisation / Trust. The passport must be presented to all research sites to obtain an honorary contract for each site.

Who does not require the Research Passport?

• Clinical Academics
• Researchers conducting research where the participants are NHS staff
• Researchers who already have an honorary research contract with the NHS
• Researchers whose research does not require any checks or an honorary research contract, that is, research which does not have a direct bearing on the quality of care. For example, forms of laboratory work and access to anonymous patient data, tissues or organs only.

Researchers who do not require an honorary contract may require additional pre-engagement checks to undertake permitted research activities in NHS organisations.

Procedure

The Principal Investigator must apply for permission to conduct the research in the NHS organisation. The Research Passport does not remove the need to apply to the R&D department of the NHS organisation for permission or to apply for ethical review.

Getting a Research Passport

• Read the Guide to Completing the Research Passport Form (see download at bottom of page)
• Complete sections 1-3 of the Research Passport Application Form‌ (see download at bottom of page)
• Ask your line manager (or other authorised person) to complete sections 4
• Take your form to the People team to complete question 5
• You may need to complete occupational health assessments, and/or a criminal record disclosure application, and/or provide additional documents
• Your People team will sign off the form and return it to you
• Complete section 6
• Take the completed Research Passport form with attachments to the lead NHS organisation who will complete sections 7 and 8
• Once the form has been authorised by one NHS organisation it becomes a valid Research Passport that you can provide to other NHS organisations