Headway Research Ethics Committee
The Headway Research Ethics Committee was established in June 2009, and its first meeting took place on the Manor Street premises on 30 June 2009. The purpose of the committee is to uphold ethical standards in research projects carried out in Headway. These ethical standards are set out by the Irish Council for Bioethics, as well as the governing bodies of the professionals themselves, such as the Psychological Society of Ireland (for psychological research). For this purpose, the committee meets three times each year, to review applications for new research projects, and monitor ongoing research projects. For example, the committee ensures that ethical procedures are in place when participants are recruited for a project, and when a participant wishes to withdraw their participation from a study.
For every piece of research conducted in Headway, an application must be filled out and submitted to the Research Ethics Committee. Only when this application has been fully approved, may the research begin.
Currently, the following individuals are members of Headway's Research Ethics Committee:
Chairperson: Fiona Murphy - HR Manager, Headway (Dublin)
Suvi Dockree - Senior Clinical Neuropsychologist, Headway (Dublin)
Deana Conaty - Rehabilitation Services Manager, Headway (Dublin)
Sarah Clarke - Psychologist, Headway (Dublin)
Alison Bingham - Headway Client
Richard Roche - Lecturer in Psychology, National University of Ireland, Maynooth
Jessica Goldrick - McMahon & Goldrick Solicitors (Dublin)
Sarah Campbell - Advocate (Dublin)
The next scheduled Research and Ethics Committee meeting will be January 2012 and the deadline for receipt of applications is is 21st January 2012