Student research in the NHS: an educational research case study

The ethical and Research and Development (R&D) sections of the NHS must approve all research that is to take place in clinical settings. The process of gaining NHS approval for student studies is identical to that of more experienced researchers such as medical consultants. This raises a number of issues and challenges for doctoral students; particularly those that are located in non-medical fields. This paper offers insights from my own experience of negotiating the NHS governance framework for a doctoral study focused on the educational experiences of children and young people with the medical condition Cystic Fibrosis (CF).