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Women’s and Children’s Health Network
Acknowledgement
The Women’s and Children’s Health Network acknowledges Aboriginal people as the First Peoples and Traditional Custodians of Country throughout South Australia. We acknowledge and respect their ongoing and deep spiritual connection and relationship to land, air, sea, waters, community and country. We pay our respect to their Elders past, present and emerging.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people should be aware that this website may contain images, voices and names of people who have passed away.

HREC Complaints and Concerns

The WCHN Human Research Ethics Committee takes complaints and concerns raised by participants seriously, and uses them as an opportunity to facilitate general improvements in the conduct of research and review.

The WCHN HREC takes complaints/concerns by participants seriously and uses them as an opportunity to facilitate general improvements in the conduct of research and review. The complaint process is described below:

Complaints/concerns from participants

Complaints/concerns from participants include, but are not restricted to, the conduct of researchers, or the review process of the WCHN HREC.

  • Record of the complaint/concern is taken by the WCHN HREC Executive Officer (telephone: 8161 6521, email: luke.fraser2@sa.gov.au)
  • The complaint/concern is conveyed to WCHN HREC Chair.
  • The Chair discusses the complaint/concern with the researcher and participant or participant’s family where appropriate.
  • Serious complaints/concerns are reported to WCHN HREC.
  • Complaints/concerns are resolved co-operatively between the participant, researcher and HREC Chair.
  • When a resolution cannot be achieved at the level of the WCHN HREC the Executive Director of Clinical Governance, Education and Research is notified by the WCHN HREC Chair in order to discuss and resolve the issue.
Complaints/concerns from researchers

Complaints/concerns from researchers include, but are not restricted to, conduct of other researchers in the group, participants, or the review process of the WCHN HREC.

  • Record of the complaint/concern is taken by the WCHN HREC Executive Officer (telephone: 8161 6521, email: luke.fraser2@sa.gov.au)
  • The complaint/concern is conveyed to WCHN Chair.
  • The Chair discusses the complaint/concern with the researcher.
  • Serious complaints/concerns are reported to WCHN HREC.
  • Complaints/concerns are resolved co-operatively between the researcher and HREC Chair.
  • When a resolution cannot be achieved at the level of the WCHN HREC the Executive Director of Clinical Governance, Education and Research is notified by the WCHN HREC Chair in order to discuss and resolve the issue.