MPHC Research and Ethics Committee

The key function of MPHC Clinical Research and Ethics Committee is to provide support and advice to health professionals, patients and families on the ethical dimension of patient care in line with the MPHC Mission Statement. The support given may include advice on specific individual cases and education of health professionals on ethical issues and ethical inputs. It will also give advice on research to be undertaken in the centre.

The main role of the committee is to identify ethical problems and facilitate their resolution within the context of but not limited to current legal and professional requirements.

Composition

The Research and Ethics Committee meets on a quarterly basis and consists of a chairperson, secretary and four other members on a voluntary basis. The members of the committee will include people with ethical and legal expertise, people from academia and a lay representative of the patients. Each member will serve a two year term.

The committee may also decide to co opt appropriate expert advice if and when it is needed.

Confidentiality

All committee members are required to sign the MPHC confidentiality agreement.

Reporting and Evaluation

The MPHC Research and Ethics Committee keeps systematic records of its meetings and undertakes regular and methodical sound evaluations of its work. This includes evidence of satisfaction of those who bring issues to the committee for discussion, those who attend education and training events and those who are recipients of the committee’s policy work. Decisions are made in a consistent manner.

The Committee members appointed for the current 2 year term are

Dr Ian Gargan Chairman

Rev Canon Eithne Lynch Vice Chairman

Dr Cormac Sheehan Secretary

Mr Rory Casey

Mr Peter Gaffney

Mr John Lucey