SWOT Analysis and Insights into the Health Research Authority Approval Process for COVID-19 Antimicrobial Stewardship Research in UK Secondary Care: Advocating Think Ethics.

Abstract

This article examines the Health Research Authority's (HRA) approval process, guided by the 'Think Ethics' principal, for an antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) research project at an English NHS Foundation Trust during the COVID-19 pandemic. Employing a SWOT analysis to reflect critically on the process, the project encompassed a retrospective examination of patient records and a survey of healthcare workers, navigating the application of the Integrated Research Application System (IRAS). The HRA's streamlined procedures, involving intensive reviews by the NHS Research Ethics Committee (REC) and regulatory checks, refined the approval process, precluding the need for multiple assessments across NHS bodies. Achieving HRA consent necessitated adherence to confidentiality protocols and the submission of extensive documentation. Only upon securing all requisite regulatory approvals could the project proceed, highlighting the essentiality of proficient project management and strategic communication. The study's outcomes shed light on AMS practices, the shifts in antibiotic prescribing patterns, and the pandemic's influence on these dynamics. Crucially, the investigation emphasised the vital importance of robust AMS in managing antibiotic utilisation and in combating antimicrobial resistance. Reflecting on this journey emphasises the importance of involving the public and patients, creating effective participant information sheets (PIS), registering research projects in databases, such as ISRCTN and OCTOPUS, and constructively addressing feedback. These lessons has significantly enhanced the authors' research skills, emphasising the crucial importance of ethical consideration and transparent communication in academic research. This article offers a thorough reflection of the Health Research Authority approval process, advocating its adoption in future antimicrobial stewardship and antimicrobial resistance investigations, which are imperative to global health. Moreover, undertaking a SWOT analysis has yielded strategic insights, facilitating a more informed approach to the process of the HRA approval process, especially in relation to COVID-19 antimicrobial stewardship research within UK secondary care.