Applying For Trust Sponsorship

The Sponsor is the organisation that takes on responsibility for confirming there are appropriate arrangements to initiate, manage and monitor, and finance a study.  For any research that takes place in the context of the NHS or Social Care services, it is a requirement that a Sponsor is identified.  The Sponsor has the responsibility for ensuring that all the necessary arrangements are in place before the study can proceed, including:

• ensuring that the research study has obtained scientific quality approval from the necessary bodies
• ensuring that the study has obtained ethical approval where required
• ensuring arrangements are in place for the monitoring and reporting of research
• ensuring the research team have access to resources and support to deliver the research as proposed

When an organisation agrees to sponsor a research study it takes on a major responsibility.  It is important to identify a Sponsor as early as possible and, in fact, many funding bodies require a Sponsor to be agreed in principle prior to accepting a funding application.

For staff employed by York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust it is possible to apply for the Trust to sponsor your study. The exception to this is where staff are undertaking educational projects.  In these situations it is the academic institution that is expected to sponsor the study. The Trust will consider applications for sponsorship or co-sponsorship under certain circumstances. Details can be found here.

Sponsorship applications in the Trust follow one of three processes:  The R&I Department will have advised which will apply for your proposed study.

Each process is described in detail in the SOP found on this page: SOPs - Management of Trust Sponsored Studies

1. CTIMP Sponsorship Application - R&D/S02

2. Full Sponsorship Application - R&D/S82 

3. Proportionate Review - R&D/S82 

When an application needs review from our Trust's R&I Group, the Chief Investigator's proposal must be submitted prior to an R&I Group meeting. The Group meets six times a year and below is a list of this years R&I Group meetings and their cut-off dates.

You must submit an application before this cut-off date or your application will not be reviewed in the meeting and will instead roll over to the following meeting.

You can submit your sponsorship application by contacting yhs-tr.research.enquiries@nhs.net with your study documentation.