Is it Research?
The first question to ask when setting up a study is 'Is it research?'.
Not all research conducted within the UK requires approval from an NHS Research Ethics Committee (REC). The HRA have developed a decision tool that will help you to determine if your study requires this type of approval. http://www.hra-decisiontools.org.uk/ethics/
if your project is research then you will need to:
- write a protocol
- find funding
- obtain sponsorship and
- apply for approval to conduct your research