Quality Management System
The University’s Quality Management System (QMS) relates to the governance of the acquisition, storage, use and disposal of human samples for research to ensure that all staff and students understand the necessary requirements and procedures covered by the Human Tissue Act , 2004Link opens in a new window (HT Act), the Human Tissue Authority’s (HTA) Codes of Good Practice Link opens in a new windowand the University’s HTA Licence for research.
The implementation of the QMS framework of policies and procedures ensures that all research at the University involving human samples is carried out in compliance with the licensing obligations of the HT Act, to the standards required by the HTA.
It is important that both the research community and the public have confidence that all human samples for research are acquired lawfully and with appropriate consent, and are stored, handled, used and disposed of respectfully, sensitively and responsibly.
The University requires that all human samples, from the living or deceased, cellular or acellular, (except established cell lines, DNA, and other excluded materials) should meet the standards of quality management set out in this Quality Manual.
The key quality objectives of the QMS are:
- continue to evolve to demonstrate an enduring commitment to quality improvement;
- provide a robust but practical framework for compliance with the licensing obligations of the HT Act and to the standards required by the HTA;
- be an integral component of the University’s research governance structure;
- have the confidence of and be fully embedded into practice by all researchers;
- engender the highest levels of trust and confidence in our stakeholders and the broader public;
- enhance the University’s reputation for the delivery of research of the highest quality and ethical standards.
Quality Manual
The purpose of the Quality Manual is to document the University’s Quality Management System (QMS) for the governance of the acquisition, storage, use and disposal of human samples for research to ensure that all staff and students understand the necessary requirements and procedures covered by the Human Tissue Act, 2004, the Human Tissue Authority’s (HTA) Codes of Good PracticeLink opens in a new window and the University’s HTA Licence for research.
See: Quality Manual
University Research Governance Policy and Standards
Key elements of the University research governance structure include: