Freedom of Information request 276-2122

Subject: FOI Request This email originated from outside of the organisation. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognise the sender and know the content is safe. If unsure, please contact ghcit@ghc.nhs.uk Good Morning, I am writing to you under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 to request the following information from your HR department. Please may you provide me with: - Policys. relating to absence from work for an employee participating in Medical Research for healthy Volunteers or Patients that are receiving treatment as part of a Clinical Trial. Clinical trials are research studies performed in people that are aimed at evaluating a medical, surgical, or behavioural intervention. They are the primary way that researchers find out if a new treatment, like a new drug or diet or medical device for example, a pacemaker. is safe and effective in people. Often a clinical trial is used to learn if a new treatment is more effective and/or has less harmful side effects than the standard treatment. I am asking this question in my capacity as a Research Practitioner working in the field of medical research. As part of our Patient and Public initiative PPI. engagement, we have had feedback on this issue. This feedback relates directly to working individuals and their corresponding employee HR policies. Potentially this activity could require sick leave and/or unpaid absence from work. This means that the potentially impact could mean that a working individual would not be able to have access to /participate in clinical studies. I am gathering information on this topic to understand the actual breath of HR policies specifically related to this type of absence from work for Medical Research Is a policys. relating to Clinical Trial Appointments available within your organisation? ☐ Yes - I would like this information to be provided to me as [paper or electronic copies, or alternatively provision of appropriate web-links – if this information is already available to the public..] ☐ No If this request is too wide or unclear, I would be grateful if you could contact me as I understand that under the Act, you are required to advise and assist requesters. If any of this information is already in the public domain, please can you direct me to it, with page references and URLs if necessary. If the release of any of this information is prohibited on the grounds of breach of confidence, I ask that you supply me with copies of the confidentiality agreement and remind you that information should not be treated as confidential if such an agreement has not been signed. I understand that you are required to respond to my request within the 20 working days after you receive this letter. I would be grateful if you could confirm in writing that you have received this request.