Research Assistant - NHS
Job overview
Are you passionate about improving care in Mental Health & Dementia through research?
Do you have experience within mental health services or with vulnerable adults, or experience recruiting participants for health research?The Research Delivery Team at West London NHS Trust is looking for Clinical Research Assistant to join their team to support recruitment to and coordination of our portfolio of Mental Health & Dementia Research. Supported Noclor NHS Research Office, this is a chance to gain experience and knowledge of clinical research with experts in the field.
Main duties of the job
The role will be based in the Research Delivery Service at Noclor NHS Research Office, hosted by West London NHS Trust. This role also involves working across multiple organisations within West London to ensure people with mental health, dementia, learning disabilities, neurodegenerative and neurology problems have access to research opportunities.At least 60% of the role will be spent in clinical services across the Trust, or completing participant visits, with the remainder spent at the team base at Lakeside Mental Health Unit, or at Noclor Offices in Kentish Town.
You will work with research teams to recruit patients to a range of National Institute of Health Research (NIHR) portfolio studies. You will also promote research engagement actively assisting research teams with patient recruitment and data collection.You will be expected to have a good working knowledge of ICH GCP and be able to competently coordinate research trials, as well as engaging clinical teams & increasing awareness of research across the Trust.
You should be able to demonstrate an awareness of the challenges of research delivery in the NHS, particularly within mental health & dementia services. The ideal candidate should have effective communication skills, good organisational skills, flexibility, excellent attention to detail, and the ability to work autonomously.
Working for our organisation
West London NHS Trust is one of the most diverse healthcare providers in the UK, delivering a range of mental health and physical healthcare and community services. The Trust runs Broadmoor Hospital, one of three high secure hospitals in the country, with an international reputation.
Our high secure services care for patients from South of England and we provide low and medium secure services across eight London boroughs. The Trust also provides mental and physical healthcare in three London boroughs (Ealing, Hounslow and Hammersmith & Fulham).We employ 4,500 staff, of whom 56% are BME. Our turnover for 2023-24 is £426m.
The Trust is rated as ‘Good’ overall by the Care Quality Commission. Forensic services are rated as ‘Outstanding’.
The Trust is an established partner and contributor in the development of the evolving North West London Integrated Care System and the Integrated Care Board. The Trust leads the NW London Children and Adolescent Mental Health provider collaborative.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
The Candidate Pack provides an overview of the key tasks and responsibilities of the role, and the person specification outlines the qualifications, skills, experience and knowledge required. Please view as attached.
The person specification below is not the full person specification, but outlines the criteria against which your application form will be assessed.
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria- Educated to degree level or equivalent experience in a healthcare-related field.
- ICH Good Clinical Practice
Experience
Essential criteria- Experience working in an NHS based health or social care environment with service user contact.
- Experience working in research delivery/patient recruitment in clinical research
- Experience of working with people in mental health and dementia services
- Project management experience
Knowledge
Essential criteria- Understanding of clinical trials in the field of dementia or neurodegenerative diseases conditions and social care
- Knowledge of the NHS Research Ethics Committee and R&D application processes
- Demonstrable knowledge of research design and methods including an understanding of the analytical process
- Good working knowledge of GCP principles and how to ensure regulatory compliance with clinical trials
Skills
Essential criteria- Good IT skills, including demonstrable competence in word processing and data entry systems
- Excellent organisational skills including the ability to establish appropriate documentation and record keeping.
- Proven time management skills including the ability to manage own workload within defined parameters.
- Willing to undertake training (if necessary) to deliver assessments and take clinical samples from study participants.
- Experience of public speaking
- High level of interpersonal, written and verbal communication skills to work with clinical and management colleagues at all levels across a range of organisations
Other requirements
Essential criteria- Ability to receive, analyse and handle large volumes of complex, sensitive and highly confidential information.
- Ability to travel across the North West London region
- Demonstrable ability to communicate complex information to a range of audiences and through a variety of mediums with confidence, empathy and enthusiasm.
- Evidence of accuracy and attention to detail in data collection and recording
- Proven ability to work effectively as a team member as well as working alone
- Able to work flexibly and creatively – contributing to the formulation and adjustment of plans and organising clinical, academic and service user involvement within those plans
- Ability to work on own initiative and to take decisions independently when necessary
- Ability to deal with the public and colleagues in a pleasant and polite manner at all times.
- Enthusiastic and professional
- Diplomatic and calm under pressure.
- Phlebotomy trained or willingness to learn