The NHS Research Scotland Permissions Coordinating Centre (NRS Permissions CC) offers a coordinated and streamlined process for obtaining Scotland-wide NHS R&D permission for multicentre clinical studies. Whereas in the past each Health Board would undertake a full R&D governance review, independently and to their own standards, the new system involves assigning a lead Board to undertake the review of generic issues once on behalf of all the other Boards who have been requested to host the study. Individual Boards continue to review local issues (such as their capability to host the study) as part of the approval process but using a standardised set of documentation and checks.
The system removes time consuming duplication and has delivered impressive R&D permission times with performance monitoring occurring on a quarterly basis. Central to the efficiency gains achieved through this system has been the adoption of a Scottish-wide document set, including standard non-commercial and commercial model clinical trial agreements. Further information on the permissions process can be found on the NRS Permissions CC website.
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