Research Management Tools
Greater Manchester Research Alliance is a partnership between Manchester NHS Trusts and Universities, which was formed in response to a desire across the city, for a co-ordinated and synergistic pan-Manchester research strategy with major benefits for researchers and patients. The alliance partners pooled existing strategies to develop two research governance tools.
1. MAJIK Monitoring and Audit Joint Inspection Tool Kit
The principle aim was to establish a common approach to the monitoring of research projects across the Greater Manchester Research Alliance. A major aspect of the service involves R&D staff undertaking monitoring (with prior agreement) on behalf of other Trusts to aid transparency and autonomy throughout the monitoring process.
MAJIK in its current form is a robust range of Audit Tools covering a number of areas, including; Consent, Patient Records, Ethics Approval, Clinical Trials Authorisation, R&D Approval, Trial Master File, Recruitment, Pharmacy, the Human Tissue Act, Pharmacovigilance and Data Protection. The varying sections can then be selected for use as and when it is required, for example just the Consent section could be employed if there was concern surrounding this area.
To access this tool and for more information, please visit the link below.
2. MIRRA Manchester Integrated Research Risk Assessment
An integral part of that is assessing and managing the risk involved in a study. An organisation must understand potential hazards of being research-active and act to minimise and manage potential risks. It is an area that all partners in the GMRA are dedicated to and have made progress in. An integrated approach and standardised tool is of great benefit to all.
GMRA have developed MIRRA, a Risk Assessment Tool produced through collaboration by members of the GMRA Research Governance Group. MIRRA is designed to be used by Research Governance staff members at the point of initial receipt of a project. The tool is standard but individual partners can utilise it as they see fit. The Tool is web based and questions should be worked through in a methodical manner.
To access this tool and for more information, please visit the link below.
Accessing GMRA Research Governance Tools
The tools can be access from the following link:
http://www.gmra.org.uk/governance%2Dtools/
Username: gmrarg
Password: tools
The GMRA is keen to further develop and refine the tools, feedback should be directed to the key individuals listed on the relevant GMRA web page.
See also the Ensuring Confidentiality page of this section, which provides information on another relevant management tool, the NHS Information Governance Toolkit.
