Expedited Review Panel (ERP) submissions

Low risk research is where the only foreseeable risk to participants is discomfort. Examples of discomfort may include minor medication side-effects, discomfort with measuring blood pressure or anxiety induced by an interview. All low risk applications must be submitted through email.

The ERP provides low risk research review for the following institutions:

• joint ethics and governance review for all CALHN sites
• ethical review for any SA Health sites as per SA Health Research Ethics and Governance Policy
• some private sites, requiring a fully executed External Entities Agreement (EEA).

The CALHN Ethics and Governance Application Form (EGA) with signatures from all research personnel must be submitted as a part of the low risk application. In addition submit the following that apply for your project:

Investigator and Study Documentation

• CVs for all investigators
• study protocol containing sufficient detail for ethical and scientific review
• blank draft of the data collection spreadsheet if the data is extracted from records
• data collection sheet survey or questionnaire if new data is collected
• recruitment documentation e.g. advertising material, telephone scripts etc
• participant information and consent form
• interview schedule
• grant funding documentation .

Approvals

• approval from all relevant heads of department
• approval for use of externally held data/samples
• project resourcing approval where there is in-kind support from the relevant CALHN business manager.

Application submissions can be emailed to Health.CALHNResearchLNR@sa.gov.au.

Submissions will first be reviewed by CALHN Research Services for validity and completeness by our team. Researchers may be asked to provide further documentation or approvals. Incomplete submissions will not proceed to ERP review.

Once eligible the study will be added to an upcoming ERP meeting for review. Researchers will be sent any requests for further information required for both ethical and governance approval.  Responses to a request for information may be reviewed by the ERP at the meeting following receipt of the response or out of session.

If the study is approved at the ERP, the researcher will receive an approval letter via email.

• Ensure document footers including dates and versions are correct.
• Clarify CALHNs participation in the project.
• Ensure you have attached the correct documentation for your submission and have organised the required signatures and approvals.