Honorary Researcher Appointments

COVID-19 Pandemic:

All applicants must follow the direction of Western Health (WH) regarding the limited access to sites during the COVID-19 pandemic. Researchers are to be aware that their activities may be significantly reduced during this time, please see more information regarding the current COVID-19 requirements for research at WH here. Please send any queries to [email protected].

Do you need an Honorary Researcher Appointment?

If you are collaborating with an external institution or you are an external researcher who intends to conduct research at WH, you will more than likely need to organise an Honorary Researcher appointment in order for the external personnel to access WH data, use our facilities or contact patients or staff. Please see the Honorary Researcher Appointment Eligibility Flow chart to determine their eligibility.

What do you need to provide to obtain an Honorary Researcher Appointment?

New Appointments:

• Pre-employment Health Check Clearance obtained from Western Health Staff Clinic
• Honorary Researcher Application Form – fully signed (excluding Director of Research signature)
• A satisfactory Fit2work Police Check.
• This is initiated by Western Health with Fit2work and completed online by the applicant. Please Note: All Honorary Researcher Application Forms MUST include a WH Cost Centre for payment of the Fit2work check
• Two reference checks for applicant – completed by Principal Investigator/Supervisor (WH reference check templates available on People and Culture Forms Intranet page)
• Full CV with qualifications, previous employment etc.

Additional appointment to projects or renewal of appointments

• Honorary Researcher Application Form – fully signed (excluding Director of Research signature)

If your original appointment has not yet expired, the following are not required. If your appointment duration has ended, you will need to provide the following:

• Pre-employment Health Check Clearance obtained from Western Health Staff Clinic
• A satisfactory Fit2work Police Check.
• This is initiated by Western Health with Fit2work and completed online by the applicant. Please Note: All Honorary Researcher Application Forms  MUST include a WH Cost Centre for payment of the Fit2work check

Steps:

1. Pre-employment Health Clearance  (contact WH Staff clinic for queries [email protected])

• The WH supervisor/WH personnel or the applicant is required to email a table (add more rows if required) with the stated information provided to [email protected] 

• IMPORTANT: Advise the Staff Clinic in your email that you are applying for an Honorary Researcher Appointment & state the applicant's level of clinical contact with patients, if any.
• Staff Clinic will then send out a survey link to the applicant.
• The applicant is then required to complete the survey and provide the required evidence to staff clinic.
• Staff clinic will then request any additional information and when satisfactory the Staff Clinic will advise the WH Manager and the external applicant via email.
• Please retain this email communication of the confirmation of Pre-employment health clearance for submission to the Office for Research.

2. Honorary Researcher Application Form (Contact WH Office for Research for queries [email protected])

• Complete the form as required
• Please Note: All Honorary Researcher Application Forms MUST include a WH Cost Centre for payment of the Fit2work check.
• IMPORTANT: all signatures are to be on one document
• Signatures to be obtained from:
• Applicant
• WH Supervisor/PI
• WH Head of Department (The Department Director of the Principal Investigator, this cannot be signed by the Principal Investigator)
• Please leave Final Approval sign off blank, the Office for Research will obtain final approval signature from the Director of Research/Delegate once Honorary Researcher Appointment is approved.
• Please complete  the checklist and ensure you have provided all relevant attachments and evidence before submitting to the Office for Research.
• Submit forms and attachments as separate documents (Please do not scan all documents into one file) to: [email protected]
• The Office for Research will email you if any further changes or information is required.

3.    Fit2Work Police Check

• This is initiated by Western Health with Fit2work once an Honorary Researcher Application Form is received.
• The applicant will receive an email from Fit2work requesting they set up an account and they must then complete the Fit2work online process via this online account. 
• Western Health is then notified by Fit2work of the outcome of the check.
• Please Note: All Honorary Researcher Application Forms MUST include a WH Cost Centre for payment of the Fit2work check.

4. Letter of Offer (Contact WH Office for Research for queries [email protected])

• The Office for Research will issue a Letter of Offer via email for the applicant to sign once the above steps 1-3 are complete. Applicant should sign the letter and return via email to [email protected].
• The Office for Research will notify the applicant, WH supervisor and WH Department Director when the Appointment is finalised and can commence.

When is my honorary researcher appointment finalised?

The Honorary Researcher appointment is only finalised and authorised once all of the following has occurred:

• A satisfactory pre-employment health clearance has come through from Staff Clinic
• A satisfactory police check from People and Culture
• The Honorary Researcher Appointment Form is completed and signed by all relevant parties
• Two reference checks completed and templates submitted
• The Honorary Researcher appointee returns a signed copy of the Letter of Offer from the Office for Research
• Receipt of confirmation from the Office for Research of appointment approval