Plymouth Ethics Online System

Online system supporting the ethical review process
Research word button on keyboard with soft focus courtesy of Shutterstock, Copyright: dencg
The Plymouth Ethics Online System (PEOS) is a flexible web-based management system to help facilitate and streamline the ethical review process. PEOS is available to members of staff, postgraduate research and taught (PGR/PGT) students and School of Health Professions undergraduate students (stage 2 and 3 only) at the University of Plymouth. The system enables applicants to submit and track their applications as well as make it easier for the Faculty Research Ethics and Integrity Committees to conduct reviews, provide feedback and approve applications.

Access the ethics online system

To access the system, please use the above links and log in with your University of Plymouth username and password (the same information you use to access your email).
 

Updates

Updates performed to the ethics application form will be noted on the login page with the date and time of update.
The next update will be on: TBC
Please note an update was performed to the ethics application form on 16 July 2024 at 13:56
This update included:
  • changes to improve the application process for Service Evaluations and Audits
  • changes to Study Type options: Research/Secondary data use, Service Evaluation/Audit
  • new questions on secondary data use for researchers applying to access Office for National Statistics data via SRS
  • new amendment form for Animal Research ethics applications.
If you see "Note: There is a newer version of the project. Update" or "Warning: The project owner must update your project in order to submit this form. Update" on your application, any user with an application in progress on the date and time shown will need to update their form by selecting "Update" at the top of the page before it can be submitted. If you are waiting for your form to be signed by another collaborator/supervisor/director of studies, you will need to select the update and then re-sign and re-request the required signatures to submit your application.
 

Helpful information

Guidance on how to use the Plymouth Ethics Online System (PEOS) can be found on the University of Plymouth SharePoint site or on the help pages of the PEOS system.
For technical issues using the system, please contact the Ethics Online System support team, including your 4-digit Project ID:
Applicants can watch the short help tutorial below which demonstrates how to submit an application.
For general research ethics support, please contact the research ethics support team:
For all enquiries relating to IRAS; NHS; HTA; SCREC; MODREC; CAG; HMPS, please contact the Plymouth Sponsor team:
For enquiries relating to research involving the use of animals, please contact the Animal Welfare Ethical Review Body support team:
For general research ethics support for undergraduate students in the School of Health Professions, please contact:

More information about each faculty/sponsor committee can be found in their respective SharePoint sites:
If you're applying from Planning and Analytics or SERIO, you will need to choose the Committee you're submitting your application to (Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Business) and if you are unsure, please contact the appropriate committee administrator from the list above.
If you wish to make an amendment to a historical application (made prior to PEOS), then please contact research.ethics@plymouth.ac.uk
 

Personal details information

Since the University personal profile pages were decommissioned, users have not had a way to update their personal information or add an address. This means that there are no address details being pulled through to the PEOS system. However, if you would like to amend this, then you can do so by updating your personal details, which can be found in the location where you log in and at the top right of the screen. Select your name and choose personal details and then amend your details in the box that appears. Once saved, this will then (only) update the PEOS system PI address.
 

Submitting your application

Please ensure you sign and then request all signatures within your form (Other collaborators (co-investigators)/Director of Studies/Supervisor) if required. Other collaborators external to the University will not be able to sign the form (due to single sign on authentication). Committees do not require these to review your application, but if you would like an external signatory to sign the form, then we recommend you scan their signature in as a miscellaneous document.
If you are resubmitting and have co-investigators within your form, you only need to gain one of those signatures for re-submission. If you have a Director of Studies/Supervisor you will need to gain their signature.
The system features an automatic submission function, which will automatically submit your application after all required signatures are obtained. If you are signing an application, please ensure you remain logged into the system until the screen refreshes and you receive email confirmation that:
  • your signature has been accepted, and
  • your application has been successfully submitted.
If you do not receive an email confirmation within one hour of everyone signing the form, please perform the following:
  1. Open the application and double check the form status; it should be listed as submitted or resubmitted. If the status is one of these, please email your requested signatory if you have one or FRIEC Administrator to double check that they have received your application.
  2. If the form status is listed as ‘not submitted’ or 'changes requested', then please double check:
    • that an appropriate signature has been obtained
    • that no additional blank signature boxes are listed
    • that all relevant sections have been completed
    • that the application is not pending a mandatory update (listed in a bar at the top of the screen).
If you have performed all of these checks and the application has still not automatically submitted, please email Plymouth Ethics Online System support at ethics-online-system@plymouth.ac.uk and provide your project reference number, title and a screenshot confirming these criteria and a member of the team will be able to assist you.
 
A group of people sharing ideas

Training

There are extensive guides for all users of the system available above and applicants can watch the quick help tutorial which demonstrates how to submit an application. R&I also provides training on how to use the Plymouth Ethics Online System with one-to-one or group training.
Please contact ethics online system support at ethics-online-system@plymouth.ac.uk to arrange a bespoke training session.

Faculty of Health Staff, PGR and PGT applications

The Faculty of Health Research Ethics and Integrity Committee for Staff, PGR and PGT run a monthly cycle of submission dates and review meetings, listed below. Please note there is no Faculty of Health FREIC meeting in August.
NB: If your study requires HRA and/or REC approval, please submit ten working days before the deadline to allow time for the Sponsor team to review.

Faculty of Health staff/PhD committee (except psychology) dates

Meeting Submission date Meeting date and time Outcome date
January 2025 Tuesday 17 December Wednesday 15 January, 13:00–16:00 Wednesday 22 January
February 2025 Friday 24 January Wednesday 12 February, 10:00–13:00 Wednesday 19 February
March 2025 Tuesday 25 February Thursday 20 March, 13:00–16:00 Thursday 27 March
April 2025 Tuesday 8 April Wednesday 30 April, 10:00–13:00 Friday 7 May (allowing for Spring Bank Holiday)
May 2025 Friday 2 May Friday 23 May, 13:00–16:00 Friday 30 May
June 2025 Tuesday 27 May Thursday 19 June, 10:00–13:00 Thursday 26 June
July 2025 Tuesday 24 June Thursday 17 July, 10:00–13:00 Thursday 25 July
 

Faculty of Health taught masters committee (except psychology) dates

Meeting Submission date Meeting date and time Outcome date
January 2025 Tuesday 7 January Thursday 23 January, 09:30–11:30 Thursday 30 January
February 2025 Friday 14 February Tuesday 25 February, 09:30–11:30 Tuesday 4 March
March 2025 Tuesday 25 February Thursday 20 March, 09:00–11:00 Thursday 27 March
April 2025 Friday 4 April Friday 25 April, 09:30–11:30 Friday 2 May
May 2025 Friday 2 May Monday 19 May, 09:00–11:00 Tuesday 27 May
June 2025 Tuesday 3 June Tuesday 24 June, 09:30–11:30 Tuesday 1 July
July 2025 Tuesday 1 July Tuesday 22 July, 09:30–12:00 Tuesday 29 July
 
 

New grant pre-award process

The University has now switched the research grant pre-award process (encompassing project costing, peer review and approval) from paper based to fully electronic and online.
The new tool is called Award Manager and sits within Unit4. It provides instant access to real-time data about research activities, allows for split costing between schools and departments and streamlines the approval process.
road forest getty
 
Coding concept with software developer touching code symbol and icons

Infonetica case study

The University's new ethics review system went live on 20 April 2020 and is being used by staff, taught masters and postgraduate research students. They have found the software to be intuitive, easy to use, efficient and time saving, in handling the 350–400 low to high risk ethics applications the University receives in a typical year. The new system fulfilled the requirements to provide a single repository for all review documentation as well as to assure full GDPR compliance.
 
Paper people surrounded by hands in gesture of protection. Image courtesy of Shutterstock

Research ethics

Paper people surrounded by hands in gesture of protection. Image courtesy of Shutterstock

Ethical review

computer keyboard

Online Surveys