Operating Procedures

1. Meeting Operations

Meetings will be held monthly or at the call of the Chair. The REB will keep and maintain minutes of all meetings and said minutes will be circulated to all REB members and will be available to authorized representatives of NHS and funding agencies.

2. Agenda / Reporting Mechanism

Agenda items will be accepted by the Chair from all REB members or any hospital / medical staff member. The Agenda will be distributed a minimum of 5 working days in advance of each meeting.

Copies of submission forms, the protocol and consent form for each proposal to be discussed at a given meeting will be distributed to REB members a minimum of 5 working days in advance of each meeting.

3. Quorum

Quorum will be set at 50 percent, plus 1 of the membership, assuming the members in attendance have the range of background and expertise required. It is to the Chair to decide if a quorum exists.

4. Attendance

Attendance is mandatory. The Chair will remove any member who misses three consecutive, regularly scheduled meetings – without good reason – in a calendar year.

5. Conflict of Interest

Any REB member with a personal involvement being voted upon by the REB shall declare their involvement and shall absent themselves from the meeting upon the direction of the Chair and all matters relating to the conflict of interest will be included in the minutes.

6. Scope of Responsibility

The REB will provide a summary of trials, quarterly to the MAC. The REB will also provide annual synoptic reports, including policies, issues and compliance reporting to both the MAC and to the Board of Trustees, on activities of the REB.

7. Indemnification

All REB committee members will be indemnified by the NHS.

8. Committee Structure

The collective REB will decide if a committee structure is required, including an Executive Committee and any sub-committees required to conduct the work of the REB. Attendant reporting structure, roles, responsibilities and decision-making authority for all committees resides with the collective REB