We recommend seeking advice from your local ethics committee, as regulation may vary across different regions. Academic and health institutions may also have their own guidelines and processes that you will need to adhere to.

Ethical considerations

• Indigenous populations:

  • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples

  • Māori

  • Pacific peoples

• Vulnerable populations

• Minority groups and specific populations

• Personal health data

Exemptions

Ethics approval may not be required if your evaluation focuses on general HealthPathways usage and the data you collect is used as part of your regular monitoring and improvements processes. 

Canterbury received such an exemption under New Zealand Ministry of Health auditing provisions. The data was for regular reporting and evaluation purposes and contained no identifiable patient information, therefore no additional ethics application was necessary.

Resources

• Human Research Ethics Committees (HRECs) – List of HRECs Registered with the NHMRC
• National Ethics Advisory Committee NZ – National Ethical Standards for Health and Disability Research and Quality Improvement 
• NHS Health Research Authority – Research Ethics Service and Research Ethics Committees