Guidance

Cervical screening: research advisory committee

Updated 29 July 2021

1. Overview

This document provides information on the NHS Cervical Screening Programme (CSP) research advisory committee (RAC) and guidance on how to submit projects to the committee for review.

CSP RAC support is required for:

• research projects involving CSP participants
• research, evaluation or audit activities that require national screening programme data

Requests to access data from the NHS screening programmes also require approval from the PHE Office for Data Release (ODR).

The first step in seeking approvals is to email your project documentation to the CSP RAC at screening.research@phe.gov.uk

2. Deadlines for research advisory committee proposals

The next deadline is 4 October 2021. These applications will be discussed by the committee on 15 November 2021, with outcome letters issued on 13 December 2021.

There is another deadline on 3 January 2022. These applications will be discussed by the committee on 11 February 2022, with outcome letters issued on 4 March 2022.

There is another deadline on 14 March 2022. These applications will be discussed by the committee on 28 April 2022, with outcome letters issued on 27 May 2022.

3. RAC approval process

The RAC offers a 2-stage review process, as described below.

3.1 Pre-application

We recommend you submit project plans in the early stages for advice on the feasibility of the request, preferably before seeking funding or ethics approvals. You should then submit the application for full review once it is fully worked up.

3.2 Full review

In order for the CSP RAC to fully review your project, you need to submit:

• a detailed protocol
• a data specification
• a data flow diagram
• a completed ODR submission form
• any patient information sheets or informed consent forms (if applicable)

We recommend that all research projects undergo formal peer review and that a copy of the peer review report is included in your application.

4. 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.

5. 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.

6. CSP RAC membership

• John Tidy (Chair, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust)
• Adam Rosenthal (Colposcopy)
• Alejandra Castanon (King’s College London)
• Anne Stevenson (PHE Screening)
• Jo Morrison (Colposcopy)
• Kate Cuschieri (Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh)
• Kate Soldan (PHE)
• Laura Marlow (King’s College London)
• Maggie Cruickshank (Colposcopy)
• Maria Kyrgiou (Imperial College London)
• Philippa Pearmain (PHE Screening)
• Robert Music (Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust)
• Ruth Stubbs (PHE Screening)
• Suzanne Wright (PHE Screening)
• Theresa Freeman-Wang (Whittington Health NHS Trust)
• Tony Hollingworth (Queen Mary University of London)

7. Further information

Cervical screening: programme data

National population screening programmes: the information we use and why, and your options