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RESEARCH ETHICS COMMITTEE

Independent Research Ethics Committee

Rigorous, independent ethics review for your research. We provide thorough, expert evaluation to ensure your study meets the highest ethical standards.

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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.

Submit Preliminary Enquiry

Complete our enquiry form with basic details about your study. We'll confirm whether it falls within our scope.

Panel Review

Our expert panel reviews your application against ethical standards. We assess participant safety, informed consent, and research merit.

Certificate Issued

Once approved, you receive your official ethics approval
certificate. We remain available for consultation throughout
your study.

Full Application Submitted

Submit your complete application including research proposal, participant information sheets, consent forms, and data management plan.

Decision Issued

You receive our decision: Approved, Minor Amendments Required, Major Revisions Required, or Not Approved. Detailed feedback is always provided.

TRANSPARENT PRICING

Fees & What's Included

£750

per application

Includes one round of amendments at no extra cost

Thorough review by expert panel

Detailed written feedback

One round of amendments included

Ethics approval certificate

Ongoing consultation during study

Amendment review if needed

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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

Ethics Application Enquiry

Study Type
Study Poplation
Timeline for Approval Needed
Has this study been reviewed before?
No, this is a new application
Yes, it has been reviewed before

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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Response Time

1-2 business days for initial response

£750

Per Application

2-3 wks

Review Time

98%

Approval Rate

Quick Stats

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