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Ethics Review Panel

The Ethics Review Panel (ERP) is a subcommittee reporting to Standards Committee. The Panel's aim is to provide a mechanism for practice-based researchers, who may not normally have access to such through university or industry connections, to gain ethical review for their work.

Role of the panel

The original trial for the Panel came about following a joint working party established by us and the British Veterinary Association, to assess the state of ethical review for practice-based research in the UK. The report of the working party indicated that an increasing amount of clinical research is being conducted by vets based in private practice who, unlike those based in veterinary schools and institutes, may not be so familiar with the regulations and best practice associated with research, particularly with reference to recognised veterinary practice and ethical review. One of the key recommendations of the report, therefore, was that we should establish a committee for ethical review of practice-based research.

Following the popularity of the trial, at its January 2019 meeting, RCVS Council unanimously approved the ERP as a permanent service provided by the RCVS in recognition of its value to the profession. Its remit has also been expanded to include consideration of equine and farm animal research proposals as well as applications relating to exotics, such as amphibia, tortoises, fish, caged aviary/birds and reptiles. 

Following Council’s approval, the ERP, which is chaired by Professor Nicola Menzies-Gow, has hired additional members of the Panel to cover the full range of areas of practice as well as to ensure lay and veterinary nurse input.

Panel members

  • Miss Zoe Belshaw MRCVS
  • Dr Ariel Brunn MRCVS
  • Mrs Helen Cartlidge RVN
  • Dr Luisa De Risio FRCVS
  • Dr Juliet Duncan MRCVS
  • Dr Michael Frill MRCVS
  • Miss Carol Gray MRCVS
  • Dr Stefano Guido MRCVS
  • Dr Anita Guo MRCVS
  • Hayley Hall BA (Hons) (Lay member)
  • Dr David Killick FRCVS
  • Miss Natalie Knight BSc (Hons), MRes (Lay member)
  • Miss Alison Langridge RVN
  • Dr Jessica Martin BSc (Hons), MSc, PhD, FHEA (Lay member)
  • Dr Nicola Menzies-Gow FRCVS (Chair)
  • Dr Rebecca Mouncey MRCVS
  • Mr Malcolm Ness FRCVS
  • Mrs Linzi Nuttall RVN
  • Miss Catherine Phillips RVN REVN HonAssoRCVS
  • Mrs Rebecca Rafferty LLB, LPC (Lay member)
  • Dr Nigel Taylor MRCVS

Submitting a research proposal 

Guidelines for submitting a research proposal for ethical approval, along with an application form can be downloaded from the 'Related documents' box, at the bottom of this page. Please note the Panel will only consider prospective applications (ie. data collection has not commenced).

Queries

Queries regarding the ERP, its work and proposals for consideration should be directed to [email protected].

ERP approved applications

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Committees, subcommittees and groups

Specialist working bodies providing expert guidance on specific areas of veterinary practice and regulation. See a full list of committees and a brief description of their roles on our dedicated committees page.