§ Chris GraylingTo ask the Secretary of State for Health when the national health service research and development programme was last inspected; and when it is next due to be inspected. [133932]
§ Miss Melanie JohnsonThe Department issued a research governance framework for health and social care in 2001. It brought together standards and statements of good practice against which national health service research and development programmes can in future be inspected. In 2002 and 2003, those NHS bodies involved in research reported to the Department on progress against an implementation plan.
In 2004, it is intended that research governance will be one of the controls assurance standards for the NHS. The standard will provide a common point of reference for strategic health authorities' performance management of research governance, and for the Commission for Healthcare Audit and Inspection to take into account in its assessments.
Subject to legislation, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency will from 2004 have statutory responsibility for inspecting NHS and other sites where clinical trials involving medicinal products are conducted.