The Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care (the Commission) is conducting consultations on the core elements of the national site-specific assessment (SSA).

The aim of the single national SSA is to ensure a single process for local site risk assessment and authorisation for health related human research.

The goals of the national SSA are to:

Minimise duplication and the administrative burden related to local site research authorisation
Include above the line (national) requirements
Include below the line (jurisdictional) requirements (these requirements do not include the consideration of jurisdictional legislation that would be undertaken at the time of ethical review)
Enable direct sign-off to authorising officers.

The purpose of this consultation meeting is to finalise the minimum national SSA requirements.