Frequently Asked Questions

How do I access ethics@ucl?

To access the reviewer portal, please go to https://ethics-review.ucl.ac.uk and log in with your UCL credentials.

Can I access ethics@ucl at home?

Yes. ethics@ucl can be accessed at home using your UCL Single Sign-on details on any computer on any network. Desktop@UCL or a VPN connection is not required to access the system.

Where can I find further system training and guidance?

If this is your first time visiting ethics@ucl, we recommend completing our short system training before you get started. User guides are available on our online training page: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/research-ethics/guidance-training-and-resources

Who do I contact if I have any questions about ethics@ucl?

If you have any general questions which aren't covered on the training pages, please contact the UCL Research Ethics Service at ethics@ucl.ac.uk or attend a system-based drop-in session: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/research-ethics/guidance-training-and-resources/drop-sessions

How can I provide feedback on the system?

Please share your thoughts with us by completing our quick survey: https://qualtrics.ucl.ac.uk/jfe/form/SV_2oB5CJcSNQSin1Y

Are reviews automatically forwarded on to reviewers once submitted without admin involvement?

No. There are two roles for LRECs in the system – LREC reviewer and LREC admin. These roles often overlap, so one individual might be assigned both roles (i.e., if they both administer the review process and do the review). Any LREC member with the admin role will receive a submission notification, and the application will land in the LREC’s ‘New Applications’ section. It will then be up to the LREC to decide how to share out these applications and allocate reviews (much the same as if new applications land in a shared inbox).

How do I assign a new application received to an LREC reviewer?

LREC members with the 'admin' role will receive a submission notification, and the application will appear in the ‘New Applications’ tile in your Work Area. 1) Click on ‘New application (LR)' tile 2) Click on the submission 3) Click ‘Assign primary review’ on the left-hand side to assign a reviewer to the application. 4) Select a reviewer type (Chair or Lead Reviewer) under 'Assign Project and Submission' and click on the green 'Assign primary reviewer' button. You will then be redirected to the project page where you can see the assigned reviewers in the table. The status will also change to ‘LREC under review’, this will also be reflected in the Work Area ‘Under Review’ tile. The assigned reviewer will receive a notification email with a link to the submission and will have the option to decline the review.

Can multiple reviewers be assigned to the same application?

Yes. However, you should only allocate to 1 reviewer at a time and, if required, you can send to a second reviewer once the first review is completed. Once a reviewer clicks 'review done', users with admin roles will be notified, and the application will change status. This status change will remove the application from the reviewer work area, which is why tandem or simultaneous review by multiple reviewers is not currently possible.

A reviewer has 'declined' to review an application; how do I send to someone else?

The 'decline review' action is just a way for reviewers to notify you that they are unable to review a submission. You will receive an email notification when a review is declined so that you know to reallocate to someone else. The status of the application will change to 'review declined' and the application will appear in the 'declined' tile in your Work Area until you reallocate to a different reviewer. To allocate the review to a different reviewer, simply click 'assign primary review' or 'assign second reviewer', depending on which stage of the review process you have reached. IMPORTANT: Please remove the declined reviewer when performing this step, otherwise they will be resent the submission. Declining a review does not automatically remove a reviewer from the application.

How does the system handle conflicts of interest when assigning reviewers?

The system will flag obvious conflicts, for example, if you try to assign a review to someone who is named in an application (as an applicant, supervisor, collaborator etc.). For more complex conflicts, i.e., where people work closely together but aren’t explicitly named in an application, this would need to be managed through conversation. Reviewers can ‘decline’ reviews and state their reason for declining if they are conflicted.

Will applicants/supervisors receive email notifications during the review process?

Yes, both applicants/ supervisors and admins will be notified via email at key stages in the review process, including: - submission confirmation - return of feedback/ review comments - approval

Will applicants still need to certify compliance matters, such as risk assessments, data protection, DBS, and insurance, as they did on previous forms?

We only ask for the DP registration number and confirmation of insurance coverage based on a checklist in the new form. DBS and risk assessment have been taken out of the signatory section for low-risk applications to establish clearer lines on what is/ isn’t in scope for ethics review.

Will applicants need to provide their DP number before receiving approval?

Yes, they will need to have their DP number before approval is issued.

Can approvals be issued with conditions?

Yes, approvals can be issued with provisos/ conditions which don’t need to be reviewed/ updated* in the system. The approval letter can be edited to include conditions. *Note that once an application is approved, the applicant will not be able to edit their form. If changes to the form are required, please send feedback to the applicant so they can edit, rather than issuing the approval letter.

What happens after an approval is issued in the system?

When you click the 'Approve' action, you will see an editable approval letter template and will need to specify an approval duration/ end date. Completing this action will send an autogenerated approval email to applicants (and supervisors for student applications) with the approval letter attached. The status of the application will change to ‘Approved’. Once an application is approved, the form will lock and no further edits can be made. If an applicant needs to make post-approval updates, they will need to submit an amendment request by creating a sub-form.

How long should I issue approval for? Can the end date be extended if needed?

Approvals are now issues for fixed durations, rather than based on end date. This will help ensure clarity and consistency for applicants, making it easier to keep track of approval end dates, and reduce the administrative task of processing extension requests. The approval periods are: Staff and Postgraduate Research (PGR): 5 years Postgraduate Taught (PGT) students: 2 years Undergraduate students: 1 year Applicants can request to extend their approval by 1 year by submitting an amendment request. A new application will be required if an approval exceeds 6 years in duration.

Can applicants submit amendments to their applications?

Yes, applicants can submit amendments to their ethical approval in the system.

Is it possible to issue post-dated approvals for individuals who have not yet joined UCL?

An applicant won’t be able to start an application until they have their UCL email address. However, the form does have a ‘Transfer’ functionality, so someone with a UCL email address could start a new application with input from the new colleague, and then transfer the form to them as soon as they have their UCL email. PIs who transfer projects to UCL can register any in-date ethics approvals issued by other UK universities (not NHS) using the ethics@ucl application form.

How do I know if I have high risk application to review?

High-risk applications assigned to lead reviewers will appear in the ‘my high-risk reviews’ tile. To minimise email traffic, REC members will not receive an email notification when they are assigned a new high-risk application. The Research and Innovation Services (RIS) Research Ethics team will send a monthly assignments email with links to applications. You should email the ethics team if you need to decline a review.

How do I know if I have a low risk application to review?

Low risk applications assigned to lead reviewers will appear in the ‘my low-risk reviews’ tile. REC members will be notified via email from donotreply@infonetica.net when a low-risk research ethics application has been assigned to them for review. The email will include a link to access the application and initial comments from the Research and Innovation Services (RIS) Research Ethics team.

How do I decline a high risk review?

Please email ethics@ucl.ac.uk directly if you need to decline a HR review.

How do I decline a low risk review?

If you are unable to undertake a review, please navigate to the application and click 'decline review' so that the application can be reallocated to a different reviewer.

I will be going on holiday - how do I stop applications being assigned to me?

1. Click your name on the top right of the screen to reveal the drop down menu 2. Select "Personal Details" 3. Enter the dates you are unavailable at the bottom of the page 4. Click "Change Details" No applications will be assigned whilst you are unavailable.

How do I start reviewing a high risk application?

1) Click on the 'My high-risk reviews’ tile in your ‘My Tasks’ space 2) Click on the relevant application in your reviews section. This will direct you to the application review overview page 3) Click on ‘Review application’ on the left side to access the research ethics application form.

How do I start reviewing a low risk application?

1) Click on relevant 'My low risk reviews' tile in your ‘My Tasks’ space 2) Click on the relevant application in your reviews section. This will direct you to the application review overview page. 3) Click on ‘Open application’ on the left-hand side to access the research ethics application form.

Is reviewing anonymous?

Yes – the applicant can’t tell who reviewed their submission unless the reviewer deliberately states their name in their review.

How do I navigate through the application form?

There are different options for navigating the online form: 1) Project Overview Page (Timeline): shows sections on the left and links on the right, allowing you to move between different sections. You can use the ‘Navigate’ button to return to the complete question set 2) Sequential Navigation: allows you to navigate through the form using the ‘Next’ and ‘Previous’ buttons at the bottom of the screen

Can applications be downloaded from the system for offline review?

You can review the application form in 2 ways: 1) Directly within the ethics@ucl system 2) Exporting the application as a PDF for offline use using the ‘Print’ function. Any comments or feedback will still need to be entered in the form on the ethics@ucl system. If you choose to work with a PDF or printed copy, you will need to manually transfer comments to the online form later.

How do I view panel comments?

Click on 'Panel Comments' on the left hand side to view comments and who created them.

How do I add review comments to an application?

As you work through each section, when you reach a question to comment on, select ‘+ New Comment’ in the actions pane on the left-hand side. This will display all the questions within that section. Select the question you wish to comment on and add your review comment to the comment box, and click 'save' to complete.

High-risk application: How do I leave my flag rating and complete my comments?

To submit your flag rating (red, amber, green), return to the main project page by selecting 'Timeline' in the left-hand menu. Select ‘Finish & flag rating’ to finish your pre-meeting review comments The page includes a table where you can highlight an indicative flag rating for the application and note points requiring discussion at the REC meeting. Once you have finished adding your recommendation, select ‘Finish & flag rating’. Your flag rating and discussion points are now saved in the timeline, and you can see these by clicking on the paperclip icon. Reviewer comments will be consolidated by the Research Ethics Service before being fed back to the applicant.

How do I leave an overall recommendation and complete my low-risk review?

To submit your overall recommendation, return to the main project page by selecting 'Timeline' in the left-hand menu. Select ‘Review done’ to finish your low-risk review. This will bring up the ‘Review Done’ table, where you can: a) Indicate whether the application can be approved or not or whether the applicant needs to make changes b) Add any general comments on the application Select ‘Review done’. Your review comments will then be consolidated and shared with the applicant.

I'm getting too many notifications what can I do?

We recommend creating a dedicated folder in Outlook to automatically route your system notifications. To quickly create a rule that moves all email from a specific sender or a set of senders to a folder: 1) To quickly create a rule that moves all email from a specific sender or a set of senders to a folder, right-click a message in your message list that you want to create a rule for, hover over Rules and then select Create rule. 2) Choose the folder where you want all messages from that sender or set of senders to be moved, and then select OK. 3) After selecting OK, the rule will be applied to all incoming messages. This will take it out of your focused inbox and you can check the folder as required. We recommend keeping email notifications on if not regularly in the system.