NSW Health is dedicated to performing research that meets the highest national and international standards, and delivering research in a regulated environment of continuous quality improvement.
NSW Health Organisations are accountable for the quality, safety and ethical acceptability of research conducted under their auspices which includes on their premises, by their staff and with their participants. Research conducted at a NSW Health Organisation must be conducted in accordance with local, national and international ethical principles, guidelines for responsible research conduct, legislations and regulations.
The NSW Health Research Handbook provides guidance to researchers and research development offices on the requirements for conducting research at a NSW Health Organisation.
In 2026, the Research Ethics and Governance Unit released the updated NSW Health Research Handbook 2.0. Supplementary to the Handbook is a set of standard operating procedures outlined below.
Designed to be living documents, these resources outline the essential requirements for conducting research, while allowing local health districts and organisations to adapt sections to fit their specific contexts.
Feedback is open until 1 September 2026 and can be provided via this link. For more detailed feedback, please email MOH-ResearchEthics@health.nsw.gov.au
Handbook
- NSW Health Research Handbook 2.0 (DOCX 2.3 MB)
- Summary of changes to the NSW Health Research Handbook 2.0 (PDF 198.5 KB)
Standard operating procedures
- Hosting an external audit or inspection (DOCX 166.0 KB)
- Supervision of research students (DOCX 168.6 KB)
- Managing authorship of research outputs (DOCX 162.6 KB)