IRAS system update to integrate online booking system

The update will integrate into the IRAS system an electronic Central Booking System (CBS) for project-based research in the NHS (or HSC in Northern Ireland) and for Research Ethics Committee (REC) applications for tissue banks, databases and health research taking place outside of the NHS/HSC.

The update will streamline the HRA/REC review system. The move online means there will no longer be a telephone number for CBS and REC bookings, but there will be a number to call for researchers to call who are having difficulties with the online portal. This number will appear later on today along with new guidance on the system on this HRA webpage.

Changes to the IRAS system will occur in the ‘E-submissions’ tab. Researchers will provide the same information and answer the same questions as they would have done in the past by phone.

Researchers should continue to submit COVID-19 study enquiries separately to fast.track@hra.nhs.uk for consideration.

In addition, from 1 June researchers submitting amendments to the HRA / NHS REC will be able to submit these for approved studies through IRAS without having to email documents through – speeding up the processing of amendments.

The HRA will also roll out a new amendment tool at the same time, which will simplify the amendment process by producing tailored guidance for researchers on where to submit their amendment and what actions they need to take. The UCLH/UCL Joint Research Office has been one of the organisations in the country to test it for nearly 8 months. More details will follow in the coming weeks.

Online submission of Amendments 

Using the Amendment tool