SharePoint Site for Compliance: College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine and NHS Lothian Health Board

The NHS Lothian Health Board (NHS-LHB) Framework Agreement is a key legal document that lays out foundations for the sharing of data between NHS Lothian and its partners, including the University of Edinburgh. From ethical management to intellectual property rights, this framework sets the standards for how information is to be shared by and with the Lothian Health Board and University colleagues, keeping in line with data integrity and legal requirements.

To support researchers and staff involved in joint research activity with the NHS-LHB, the College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine (CMVM) have created a SharePoint resource housed on the CMVM SharePoint Hub to act as compliance tool. In relation to IT matters, the project team have done the heavy lifting for researchers. They have reviewed the NHSL Framework Agreement, worked with University IS experts, MVM Research support, University (ACCORD) and NHSL partners (NHSL IT), to create simplified IT guidance. This makes it easier to understand and follow.  In guiding your choice of IT to use, this SharePoint resource will provide the assurance it is safe, appropriate for researcher needs and compliant.

In addition to streamlining IT reference points and adding an extra layer of safety, this is a future proof service, allowing colleagues to maintain compliancy in the future.  Additionally, University colleagues will have more transparency over the different IT systems, required uses, services and processes.  The NHSL Framework Agreement is a comprehensive document that underpins and governs every aspect for the processing of joint University and NHSL research project work. The framework is lengthy and written in legal terms, as it forms the basis of a legal binding contract for approved research work, conducted between University and NHSL participants. 

This centralisation of IT guidance for joint researchers will ultimately enhance the safety and efficiency of research carried out between the University and NHS Lothian Health Board. This is an exciting time for University staff to be working with the NHS.