MTC Guidelines for Research Ethics
1. Why does research require ethical approval?
As part of good research governance, research requires ethical review and approval. This is:
• to protect your and your participants rights and welfare and minimise the risk of
physical and mental discomfort, harm and danger from research procedures
• because consideration of the ethical issues is likely to help you think about the stages
of your research more carefully
• to avoid potential problems later on, by ensuring that the main foreseeable ethical
issues are addressed before the research starts
• to protect your rights as a researcher to carry out legitimate investigations
• to protect the reputation of your organisation in respect of research conducted by its
staff
• in order that you are insured to carry out your research
• to minimise the potential for claims of negligence made against you, and any
participating collaborators/organisations.
• because refereed journals increasingly require evidence of ethical approval before
they will publish your work.
Please note that ethical approval for research does not substitute for the need to obtain
appropriate professional insurance in situations where this is required.
2. When should I start thinking about ethical approval?
You should start to consider ethical issues at the earliest possible stage in planning your
research. A proper consideration of ethical principles is relevant to, and will almost certainly
influence, fundamental aspects of the research design from research methods to sampling.
Any ethics panel – for example public (IRAS), or within universities health care and
educational settings – will want to be assured that you have thought about all aspects of your
research and addressed potential risks and ethical issues. You must also allow sufficient time
for necessary consultation as part of the ethical review process. Changes may be needed to
your application, which may then need to be resubmitted to your ethics panel. Finally, some
studies will need other permissions or approvals, which can also take time to obtain. For
example, you may need a Disclosure and Barring Service Check, and
sometimes any permissions can take a while.
3. Collaborative research
If you are engaged in collaborative research where another organisation is the Lead
Organisation, you need to check that other collaborators have obtained ethical approval from
their own institution if required and clarified their insurance arrangements. In your
application for research ethics approval, normally you will be guided by your supervisor and
by the organisation you work for.
4. Individual freelance workers/therapists
If you are in this category, it is strongly advised that you approach a university or make sure
you have a supervisor or collaborator experienced in ethics guiding you. If you do not have
previous experience of carrying out a research project at post MA level, it is advised that
where possible, you contact a University where there is an established music therapy
programme.
5. Research involving people who lack capacity and working with the NHS
University research ethics committees cannot legally approve any research with people aged
16 years and above, who do not have capacity to consent. Similarly, for any study involving
participants in the NHS, it is likely you would need formal approval through the Integrated
Research Application System (IRAS).
For this, if you are new to applying in this way, you would need guidance from others who
have made a previous application. This is another reason why making sure you have adequate supervision or support; guidance is essential.
6. Pilot studies
If you intend to carry out a pilot study, you must obtain ethical approval for it first. Any
research to follow up the pilot study will also require ethical approval.
7. Reuse of previous research data
You may be able to reuse data obtained from previous research. You will need to check that
ethical approval was obtained and that participants gave appropriate permission for the data
to be reused in the way that you intend. There may also be copyright and/or intellectual
property issues to consider. If you wish to reuse data, you are advised to seek guidance from
your supervisors and colleagues in the organisations you are working with.
This link to the Concordat on Open Research Data may also be helpful.
8. Conflicts of interest
If there are any conflicts of interest, these must be declared in any ethics application. This
includes a conflict of interest arising from the funding for the research.
9. Research design and measures/materials to be used in the research for gathering
data
For any ethics application you will need all your materials prepared and ready, this will
include participant information sheets and consent forms. Universities provide guidance on
this, so this is another reason to carry out your research in collaboration with a university, or
with an organisation where there is guidance available for this.
10. Compliance with ethics procedures
Researchers are required to fully participate in an ethical review process. Failure to comply
could lead to withdrawal of funding or in funding not being agreed at the outset, so to protect
your participants and you, it is important to address this in any application.
NB These are guidelines drawn up through the MTC; however, please note that your ethics
procedures cannot be agreed by the charity. It is your responsibility to ensure that you
comply with the procedures as outlined above, relevant to your particular situation,
population, participants, and organisation.
MTC Research Committee Feb 2021
(With thanks also to Anglia Ruskin University)