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Protect Participants
Ensure the safety, dignity, and rights of research participants are safeguarded throughout your study.
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Maintain Integrity
Demonstrate that your research meets rigorous ethical standards and adheres to established guidelines.
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Enable Publication
Most journals and conferences require evidence of ethics approval before accepting research for publication.
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Build Trust
Ethics approval signals to participants and stakeholders that your research is conducted responsibly.
UNDERSTANDING ETHICS REVIEW
What is Research Ethics & Why Does It Matter?
Research ethics review is a formal process that evaluates whether a proposed study meets ethical standards for conducting research involving human participants. This includes assessing informed consent procedures, potential risks and benefits, data protection, and the overall scientific merit of the research.
An independent ethics committee provides impartial review for researchers who don't have access to institutional review boards, ensuring their work meets the same high standards as university-based research.
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PhD Students & Postgraduates
Students whose university ethics committee cannot review their specific project, or who need faster turnaround.
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Independent Researchers
Self-funded researchers or consultants conducting studies without institutional affiliation.
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Small Research Organizations
Charities, think tanks, and small companies without their own internal ethics review board.
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Clinicians & Practitioners
Healthcare professionals conducting service evaluations or practice-based research.
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Anyone Without Institutional Access
Researchers who need independent ethics approval but don't have access to a university or NHS committee.
WHO WE HELP
Who We Serve
We provide independent ethics review for researchers who don't have access to institutional ethics committees or need an external review.
SCOPE OF REVIEW
Studies We Review
We specialize in psychology, clinical and social psychology, mental health, neurodiversity and behavioural research. Here's what falls within and outside our scope.
Psychology and mental health research
Neurodiversity studies (autism, ADHD, dyslexia)
Qualitative research (interviews, focus groups)
Quantitative research (surveys, experiments)
Mixed methods studies
Clinical and non-clinical populations
Low to medium risk studies
Educational research
Service evaluations and audits
Social and behavioral research
Adult Assessments
For studies requiring NHS REC or MHRA approval, please contact the Health Research Authority (HRA) directly.
Clinical trials requiring MHRA approval
Studies involving genetic testing or biobanking
Invasive medical procedures
Studies requiring NHS REC approval
Research involving ionizing radiation
Animal research
Outside Our Scope
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CHAIR
Clinical Psychologist
PhD, DClinPsy, HCPC Registered
Over 15 years of clinical and research experience in mental health.
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RESEARCHER
Academic Researcher
PhD, Published Author
Extensive experience in
qualitative and quantitative
research methods.
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LAY MEMBER
Public Representative
Research Participant Advocate
Brings the perspective of research participants and the general public.
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ETHICS EXPERT
Research Ethics Specialist
Experienced Ethics Panel Member
Deep expertise in research governance and ethical frameworks.
Independence & Impartiality: Our panel members have no conflicts of interest with applicants and provide objective, unbiased reviews. All decisions are made collectively following established ethical guidelines.
EXPERT REVIEW
Our Ethics Panel
Your application will be reviewed by an experienced, multidisciplinary panel committed to thorough and impartial assessment.
HOW IT WORKS
Our Review Process
A clear, transparent process from initial enquiry to ethics approval.
TRANSPARENT PRICING
Fees & What's Included
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Days for Initial Response
We'll confirm receipt and check your study is within scope
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Weeks for Full Review
Average time from complete submission to panel decision
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Days for Decision Letter
Detailed feedback provided with every decision
Independence & Impartiality: Our panel members have no conflicts of interest with applicants and provide objective, unbiased reviews. All decisions are made collectively following established ethical guidelines.
Timeline Overview
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"Absolutely great to talk to, made me feel very comfortable and safe to open to, very understanding and doesn’t judge on your experiences, just reassures and comforts."
May N.
2026
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"Alastair is absolutely wonderful and has helped me greatly along my journey."
Sasha M.
2025
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"Super empathetic. Alastair makes what can be a stressful experience really painless."
Emily T.
2025
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"I really enjoyed today, Alastair is a great lecturer who kept me awake and engaged all day! The regular breaks are extremely helpful in maintaining engagement and motivation. There is a good balance of talking and activities and i feel the information provided was extremely clear and structured well."
Workshop Attendee
2025
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"I found the session very complete, informative and above all conducted in a very sensitive way. I wouldn't change anything."
Workshop Attendee
2025
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"I recently had my gender dysphoria assessment with Alastair at Unlock Psychology. The whole process was straightforward, surprisingly fast, completely transparent, and entirely free of the gatekeeping you usually find in transgender healthcare. Alastair is a true professional who treats you with respect, making the environment feel genuinely safe and validating. Instead of making me jump through unnecessary hoops, the evaluation itself was grounded entirely in clear facts and objective reality. If you need a reliable clinical psychologist for gender identity services, I definitely recommend him."
Olivia P.
2026
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"My existing NHS autism assessment was incomplete due to various factors. It was of great personal importance to me to have this updated and correctly recorded, by a qualified professional. I was pleased to find Unlock Psychology Ltd, who not only have their standards and full assessments recognised by the NHS, but were also willing to work with me to evidence and provide the sections that were previously absent or lacking.
Fair pricing.
Good communication before, during, and after interview, including checking for intention, being clear on needed information, and precision of wording on report.
Positive experience that fulfilled expected purpose."
Ash B.
2025
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"Such a comforting and warm couple of sessions. I felt able to speak without any worry of judgement and found the process to get this referral really smooth and somewhat enjoyable ! Definitely debunked a lot of nerves or anxiety I had about the steps towards top surgery."
Lars N.
2025
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"Absolutely phenomenal work. Very reassuring and overall a comfort to be around, a lot of people would be nervous and I get that, but when I was getting my diagnosis it was a wonderful experience because I felt safe and comfortable throughout it all."
Jett W.
2025
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"I had a great assessment with Alastair - he was helpful, non-judgemental and I didn't feel he was pushing me into services that I didn't need. Can highly recommend him."
Michael C.
2025
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"Had an ADHD assessment split over two sessions with Dr. Alastair Pipkin, who was friendly, professional and extremely helpful!"
Alex W.
2025
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"Insightful, patient, very thorough; yet easy to talk to. I was very pleased with the detail of my ADHD diagnosis. Would strongly recommend."
Ethan
2025
Client Feedback
100% of Clients Rate us Excellent
Our clients consistently praise our services for their quality, compassion and effectiveness, reflecting our commitment to high-quality education and research services.
5
average rating from 20+ Google reviews
APPLY NOW
Ready to Apply for Ethics Approval?
Complete the enquiry form and we'll be in touch within 1-2 business days to discuss your study and next steps.
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Email Us
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Response Time
1-2 business days for initial response
£750
Per Application
2-3 wks
Review Time
98%
Approval Rate
