Membership
Each REC consists of a minimum of seven and a maximum of 18 volunteer members. At least one-third of members must be ‘lay’. This is a term used to describe people whose primary personal or professional interest is not in a research area.
The REC must also include expert members such as doctors, other healthcare professionals and academics. You can read more about how RECs are constituted on the REC membership page.
The contribution of lay members is very important in helping to protect the interests of individuals but also in supporting health research. They take a balanced view of the likely harms and benefits of a research project by bringing a lay perspective, such as asking 'This is all very well, but what about the patient?'. Lay members will ensure that information for research participants is in a form which can be easily read and understood.
Survey of REC lay members
In autumn 2008, INVOLVE carried out a survey of REC lay members.
The survey aimed to gain a better understanding of the perspectives, experience and knowledge that lay members bring to the work of RECs and the diversity of perspectives amongst the membership. In particular, it sought to establish the range of backgrounds of lay members, the range of contributions that they make, and what helped or hindered these inputs being taken into account.
A summary report on the survey noted the diversity of membership, changes in appointment procedure and recruitment, education, lay members’ experiences as health or social care users, and whether lay members should be paid.
The survey will form a benchmark for future recruitment to RECs and to ensure that membership is representative of a cross-section of society where possible.
Get involved
If you’ve read about research in the NHS and the important role which Research Ethics Committees have to play, perhaps you would like to find out more.
All RECs have members drawn from patients and the public – this is one of their terms of reference. As long as you have a genuine interest in research ethics and are committed to safeguarding the rights, dignity and welfare of people participating in research in the NHS, no prior experience of research itself is necessary.
An educational mentor is appointed for all new committee members to help identify their training needs and appropriate training will be arranged and provided for you. RECs insist that researchers prepare their applications in terms comprehensible to non-specialists, so although reviewing a research proposal may involve some reading, it should never be too arduous.
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