Breast screening: research advisory committee
Updated 23 August 2021
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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/breast-screening-submitting-research-proposals/breast-screening-research-advisory-committee
Overview
This page provides information on the NHS breast screening programme research advisory committee (BSP RAC) and guidance on how to submit projects to them for review.
BSP RAC support is required for:
- research projects involving breast screening programme participants
- research, evaluation or audit activities that require national screening programme data
Requests to access Public Health England (PHE) owned data from the NHS screening programmes also require approval from the PHE Office for Data Release (ODR)
The first step in seeking these approvals is submission of your project documentation to the BSP RAC screening.research@phe.gov.uk
Deadlines for research advisory committee proposals
| Submission deadline | RAC date | Outcome letter deadline |
|---|---|---|
| 20 October 2021 | 8 December 2021 | 5 January 2022 |
BSP RAC reviews
The BSP RAC has a 2-stage review process:
1. Pre-application advice
We recommend that proposals are submitted as early as possible for advice on the feasibility of the request, preferably before funding or ethics approvals are sought. The application should then come back for full review once it is fully worked up.
2. Full review
For your project to be fully reviewed by the BSP RAC, you must submit:
- a detailed protocol (we recommend that you follow the format of the STROBE guidelines
- a data specification
- a data flow diagram
- ODR submission form
- any patient information sheets or informed consent forms
We recommend that all research projects undergo formal peer review and that a copy of the peer review report is included in your application.
PHE Office for Data Release (ODR) approval
Proposals requesting access to data from the NHS screening programmes will be subject to the PHE ODR approvals process. The costs for the work carried out to release the data will be recovered from the applicant in line with the cost recovery framework and any other costs incurred by PHE Screening.
ODR approval is an ongoing process with no submission deadlines. There is no need to submit a second application to the ODR but, depending on the scope of your request, you may be asked to submit additional evidence regarding ethics, legal gateway or security assurances.
Previously approved projects
There is a full list of RAC approved projects online.
The PHE ODR release register shows all personally identifiable or de-personalised data releases for projects approved by the BSP RAC.
BSP RAC Mmmbership
- Mark Sibbering (Chair, Breast Surgeon)
- Mark Bagnall (Breast Radiologist)
- Claire Borrelli (Head of Education and Clinical Training / Radiographic Advisor)
- Fiona Gilbert (Breast Radiologist)
- Jonathan James (Breast Radiologist)
- Jacquie Jenkins (Breast Programme Manager, PHE Screening)
- Olive Kearins (National Lead Breast Screening Data and Research, PHE)
- Alistair Mackenzie (Physicist)
- Sinead McGuinness (Observer)
- Emma O’Sullivan (National Programme Development Lead, PHE Screening)
- Elena Provenzano (Breast Histopathologist)
- Emad Rakha (Breast Histopathologist)
- Nisha Sharma (Breast Radiologist)
- Anne Stevenson (PHE Screening)
- Abu Omar (Charity representative)
- William Teh (Breast Radiologist)
- Sarah Vinnicombe (Breast Radiologist)
- Lesley Wilkinson (Breast Care Nurse Specialist)
- Suzanne Wright (Technical/Systems Product Owner, Intelligence and Research Lead, PHE Screening)
Further information
National population screening programmes: the information we use and why, and your options