Extensions to Research Passports
A Letter of Access (LoA) or Honorary Research Contract can be issued to cover you for up to a maximum period of three years. Once a Research Passport has become three years old, a new application must be made following the initial application process. If your LoA or Honorary Research Contract has been issued for less than three years (due to your contractual limit of tenure etc.), you can apply for it to be extended up to a maximum of three years from the original start date.
In June 2012, the Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (Addenbrooke's) and the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Foundation Trust (CPFT) agreed a simplified approach to the administration of extensions, to minimise the administrative burden on the University as follows:
For all other Trusts i.e. NHS Cambridgeshire and NHS Bedfordshire, the process will be to submit a new form for extensions.
Extensions taking the original LoA or Honorary Research Contract up to a maximum of three years
With the exception of one-off short term extensions (see below) no LoA/Honorary Research Contract will be extended beyond the period by which the initial validated research passport becomes 3 years old, or where applicable the DBS check becomes 3 years old. They can be extended as many times as necessary up to a maximum of 3 years.
Please send the documents listed below directly to the relevant Trust. Please contact your Trust directly if you have any queries relating to an extension to your Research Passport:
Please provide the start and end dates of your project(s). The start date should be when you plan to be involved in the study at the first site (or the date that your existing project will continue from if applicable) and the end date should be when you plan to complete your involvement in the study at the last site (providing the date doesn't exceed the DBS expiry or take the original passport beyond three years). Please list the NHS organisation(s) and department(s) where you will be working. Describe very briefly what activities you will be undertaking, e.g. prescribing medicine, taking blood, conducting behavioural therapy etc. Please ensure that adequate information is provided to enable the Trust to determine whether additional checks are required. If you know who will manage or supervise you or be responsible for your conduct in the NHS organisation, e.g. the Principal Investigator, please insert her/his name. Please state the NHS REC number(s) if known.
- Copy of your original research passport application form.
- Copy of your re-appointment letter, confirming your new limit of tenure with the University.
- Written confirmation of evidence of right to work/study in the UK (passport or full birth certificate) signed and verified by your Department that it is a true copy of the original (although the Trust reserves to see the original if they feel appropriate or as part of an audit of research passport paperwork).
And where applicable:
- Written confirmation of evidence of continued professional registration.
- A written declaration from you to confirm that there have been no changes to your OH status since the initial check.
- A written declaration from you to confirm that there have been no changes to your DBS status.
- If your line manager changes and research project changes, please ask your new line manager to also complete Section 4 of a new RP application form.
A new LoA/Honorary Research Contract will be issued with the new date of expiry along with copies sent to your line manager, HR School Team and nominated NHS Manager. The Trust's HR Manager's decision on whether to accept an extension is final.
One-off Short Term Extension Requests of Less Than Three Months
Subject to confirmation that there is not a change in your research activities or (where applicable) to your DBS or OH status, the Trust will issue a one-off short term extension to the LoA/Honorary Research Contract up to a period of 3 months.
Please send the documents listed below directly to the relevant Trust. Please contact your Trust directly if you have any queries relating to a one-off short-term extension to your Research Passport:
Please provide the date that you wish your existing project(s) to be extended from and confirm project details.
- Copy of your original research passport application form
The short-term extension will take the form of a letter sent to you along with copies sent to your line manager, HR School Team and nominated NHS Manager; a new LoA/Honorary research contract will not be issued.