Office for Research news

Posted: 26 November 2024

Office Closure 19 December 2024 – 8 January 2025

The Office for Research will close for business from 4.30 pm 19th December 2024 and reopen on 8th January 2025. See deadline dates below for specific submissions to the Office for Research and Ethics Committee:

• Submission deadline for December RMH HREC meeting:  27 November 2024 
• Closing date for new Quality Assurance applications:  27 November 2024 
• Closing date for new Governance applications:  27 November 2024
• Closing date for new amendments, budget review services and contracts: 27 November 2024 
• Closing date for invoices to be sent to Sponsors/CROs (Sundry Revenue services): 15 December 2024
• Priority review Governance applications and Expedited review Amendments: exceptional situations only; telephone OfR to discuss. 

All submissions lodged after these dates will have a receipt date of 8 January 2025

• The deadline for the February 2025 meeting of the HREC is 11.00 am, Wednesday 29th January 2025
• Other correspondence, including safety reports and replies to ethics and governance queries, can be submitted at any time but note that responses/reviews may take longer than usual.

Urgent matters, for example issues impacting patient safety and wellbeing, will be reviewed as soon as possible. Researchers are asked to contact the Office for Research via telephone on (03) 9342 8530 to ensure that urgent matters are brought to the attention of the appropriate team member so they can be reviewed and actioned in a timely manner.

Posted: 26 July 2024

Priority Reviews for Site Specific Authorisation now available at Royal Melbourne Hospital!

The Office for Research is excited to announce the introduction of the Priority Review (PR) pathway for RMH Site Specific Authorisation (SSA) for commercially-sponsored studies. 

The PR pathway provides SSA approval within 10 to 14 Victorian business days (stop clock).

In order for a study to be accepted for review via the RMH PR pathway, the Office for Research requires:

• Confirmation by the Governance Office to accept the review. This can be obtained by emailing the Governance Office at governance@mh.org.au
• A complete SSA package to be submitted to Governance Inbox and ERM.

SSA approval will only be issued upon receipt by the Governance Office of the applicable HREC approval letter however SSA review can commence earlier.

26 July 2024

Change to Fee Payments to the Office for Research

The Office for Research at the Royal Melbourne Hospital has recently updated the method of payment for submission fees. Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) and credit card payments will no longer be routinely accepted. All fees will now be via RMH invoice or internal journal transfer. 

Invoices and journal transfers will be payable to RMH within 30 calendar days of issue in accordance with standard RMH terms.

As always, contact the Office on research@mh.org.au with any queries or feedback.

Posted: 5 April 2024

Expedited review of amendments now available

The Office for Research now provides expedited review (within 5 working days of receipt of a complete submission package) where requested. Please contact the Office for Research at research@mh.org.au for a quote.

Posted: 19 January 2024

Restructure of the RMH Office for Research

Following extensive consultation and in alignment with the strategic objectives of the Royal Melbourne Hospital, the Office for Research is excited to announce we have restructured! 

We have introduced distinct functional areas consistent with best practice clinical operations in our sector. Refer to the updated website for new contact information.

Posted: 10 January 2024

Updated Office for Research fee schedule

The Office for Research recently updated the review fee structure. The revised fee templates for commercially-sponsored studies is available on our website.

See Office for Research fees

RMH research teams can download the fee forms for Collaborative Research Groups and Investigator-Initiated projects from the Office for Research's intranet page. 

Posted: 18 January 2023

Progress and final reports 

Reports for all active projects are due 31 March each year

The Office for Research is streamlining the timeframes for submitting annual progress reports by implementing the same annual due date for all projects. Progress reports will no longer be due by the anniversary of HREC approval.