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New webinars encouraging more voices to be heard through social care research ethics survey
Organisations involved in ethical review of adult social care research across Scotland are being urged to register for a choice of two webinars encouraging them to make their voices heard on this important subject
Staff working particularly within local authorities, Health and Social Care Partnerships (HSCPs), and the third sector are invited to sign up and learn more about how they can contribute to a Scotland-wide survey of social care research ethics.
The survey is seeking to map current ethical governance practices, identify areas for improvement, and develop guidance to help inform ambitions for change.
Issued on behalf of the Social Care Research Ethics Working Group and Scottish Government, it further aims to pinpoint “best practices, gaps, and opportunities for collaboration to ensure that ethical governance keeps pace with the unique challenges of social care research”.
A pair of easily accessible webinars — hosted on Microsoft Teams — will help to provide more information on the survey’s goals and address key points while encouraging more responses.
Taking place at 2-3pm on Tuesday 5 and Wednesday 6 August, both sessions will be hosted by Irina McLean, Health & Social Care Coordinator within NHS Research Scotland’s Central Management Team (NRS-CMT).
Joining her will be Sasha Lewis-Jackson and Clare Halpenny of the Advanced Care Research Centre (ACRC) at University of Edinburgh.
The informative webinars will include:
- A short presentation introducing the project, why it matters, and why views are being sought
- Time for questions and discussion
- A final 15-minute slot for attendees to complete the survey — either during the session or in their own time if preferred
Irina said: “We consider the survey to be a crucial step in addressing the unique and often complex ethical challenges facing social care research in Scotland, including the approach to conducting research with vulnerable or marginalised populations.
“It is recognised that current NHS structures are not well-equipped to support the kinds of ethical questions that arise in social care, and the survey is aimed at providing a comprehensive picture of how things work now, where the challenges are, and what support is needed.
“We are extremely grateful to those who have already completed it, but would like to engage more parties in doing so, ultimately leading to the kind of collective, well-informed improvement that we hope to see.
“With that in mind, these webinars will aim to engage as broadly as possible, but with a particular focus on hard-working staff within local authorities, Health and Social Care Partnerships (HSCPs), and the research-active organisations in the third sector.”
Irina continued: “As we look to spread awareness further, we believe the webinar format will offer best accessibility for time-pressured people as we push for continuous improvement around ethical governance in adult social care research across Scotland.”
The Care Home Data Review — a collaboration between Scottish Government, Public Health Scotland and Care Inspectorate — highlighted the importance of understanding, developing, and embedding ethical considerations in social care research.
It further confirmed the need for better systems and support in this area.
The report made a number of recommendations around improving understanding of research ethical review for all adult social care research in Scotland, guidance, and options for addressing gaps in the infrastructure.
Publication date: 24th July 2025
