I'm just wondering if, with research in the nhs, there is a minimum period of time that must elapse in order for a patient who has been asked to participate to give consent? I have been told that there is a minimum period of 24 hours, but I'm sure there are no set rules on this. Any advice would be gratefully received.

24 hours is suggested. However, I do research in the NHS and I don't. Depends on what kind of research you're doing (I'd imagine that for clinical invasive trials you wouldn't be allowed to get around this) and whether or not you can justify not meeting this level of consent.

I run non-invasive trials, questionnaires, focus groups and interviews with patients and staff and don't give 24 hours notice for any of them.

A

Brill, A119 - that's just what I needed to hear. My stuff is non-invasive too and I wasn't planning on waiting 24 hours. Thanks a lot.

Spot on reply. Most people will give consent there and then (providing "why" has been adequately explained), you just need to run everything through ethics, regardless of invasive or not.
Just make sure you have all the data handling checked off - the NHS can be anal about paperwork being filed and annonymised. I worked/did a MSc/doing a PhD all within the remit of the NHS so I've played with their ethics committees plenty of times :-)