What kind of research may require a research passport?

The following table, reproduced from the resource pack, indicates the type of research where HRCs are necessary and some of the pre-engagement checks that may be required. Researchers involved in the burgundy areas of activity shown on the table are likely to require a Research Passport.

The NHS organisation hosting the research will confirm:

• if a Research Passport is required;
• if an honorary research contract is required; and
• which pre-employment checks are required.

Type of research activity you will be conducting	Honorary research contract necessary?	Disclosure Bureau Service (DBS) check necessary?	Occupational Health clearance necessary?
Researcher is a health professional providing health care to an adult and/or child	Yes	Yes, regulated activity.  Requires an enhanced DBS and appropriate barred list check	Yes, if there is direct contact
Researcher provides health care to an adult and/or child under the direction of a health care professional	Yes	Yes, regulated activity.  Requires an enhanced DBS and appropriate barred list check	Yes, if there is direct contact
Researcher provides health care to an adult or child OR Researcher is a social care worker providing social work which is required in connection with any health care or social services to an adult who is a client or potential client	Yes	Yes, regulated activity.  Requires an enhanced DBS and appropriate barred list check	Yes
Researcher undertakes the following activities unsupervised: teach, train, instruct, care for or supervise children, or provide advice/guidance on well-being, or drive a vehicle only for children; with likely direct bearing on the quality of care.	Yes	Yes, regulated activity.  Requires an enhanced DBS with appropriate barred list	Yes
Researcher has access to persons in receipt of healthcare services in the course of their normal duties but is not providing health care or other types of regulated activity and has no direct bearing on the quality of care ('Access' relates to where individuals will have physical, direct contact with patients e.g. observation, qualitative interviews, focus groups).	No	Yes, standard	Yes
Researcher has indirect contact with patients or service users but is not providing healthcare or other types of regulated activity and has no direct bearing on the quality of care (e.g. some types of telephone interview).	No	No	No
Researcher requires access to identifiable patient data derived from health records, tissues or organs with likely direct bearing on the quality of care	Yes	No	Yes - only if working with tissues or organs in NHS facilities
Researcher requires access to identifiable patient data derived from health records, tissues or organs with no direct bearing on the quality of care.	No	No	Yes - only if working with tissues or organs in NHS facilities
Researcher requires access to anonymised patient data derived from health records, tissues or organs only (including by research staff analysing data)	No	No	Yes - only if working with tissues or organs in NHS facilities
Researcher is working on NHS premises (eg laboratory) only (no access to identifiable data)	No	No	Yes - only if working with tissues or organs in NHS facilities
Researcher requires direct contact with staff only but no access to patients (eg staff interviews)	No	No	No
Researcher requires access to identifiable staff data only	No	No	No
Research requires access to anonymised staff data only	No	No	No

Notes

• ID badges should be issued by each NHS organisation where researchers will have face-to-face contact with patients or staff.
• Clinicians must be fully registered with an appropriate professional body and be a member of a recognised medical defence organisation which provides them with appropriate professional indemnity for the research activity.