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Job summary

Main area
Applied Psychology
Grade
NHS AfC: Band 5
Contract
Fixed term: 12 months (Until May 2026)
Hours
Full time - 37.5 hours per week
Job ref
334-CLI-7347381
Employer
South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust
Employer type
NHS
Site
Michael Rutter Centre
Town
London
Salary
£37,259 - £45,356 per annum inclusive of HCAs
Salary period
Yearly
Closing
27/08/2025 23:59

Employer heading

South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust logo

CAMHS Research Assistant (N&S SATURN TRIAL)

NHS AfC: Band 5

 

South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust has a rich history, well-established community links and an international reputation. We deliver specialist services in the London boroughs of Croydon, Lambeth, Lewisham and Southwark, Bexley, Bromley, Greenwich, Wandsworth and Richmond.

We are committed to provide a high quality and specialist care to our service users and we are recognised for our care and treatment we provide. The Care Quality Commission already rates our services as ‘good’.

We launched our five-year strategy, Aiming High; Changing Lives  in 2021 together with Our Care Improvement System as our quality management system methodology  to make a positive impact on patient care, outcomes and staff experience. By joining SLaM, all staff will get the opportunity to be part of this exciting improvement journey supported with learning and development to harness everyone’s potential as change makers.

The trust recognises the unique and valuable contribution that people with lived experience of mental illness can bring to a role. We therefore welcome applications from people with lived experience and consider them as an asset to the Trust. 

Our Values

We take pride in providing specialist care to our service users where our Trust values and our promise to be caring, kind, polite, prompt, honest, listen and do what I say I’m going to do is at the heart of everything we do. When you join us, you’ll be part of something special.

As a Trust we are happy to talk flexible working.

Job overview

This is an exciting opportunity to be a Research Assistant on a multicentre randomised controlled NIHR funded clinical trial comparing the effectiveness of stimulant versus nonstimulant ADHD medication in children and young people who are experiencing both attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and tics: “SATURN” (Stimulant medication for ADHD and Tics – Understanding Response versus Non-stimulants).

This post is based at the Service for Complex Autism & Neurodevelopmental Disorders (SCAAND) Neuropsychiatry Team, a National & Specialist CAMHS within South London and Maudsley (SLaM) NHS Trust. This multicentre study is led by Professor Chris Hollis at the University of Nottingham.

Under the supervision of the Southern Hub lead, Dr Nicoletta Adamo, and in close collaboration with the study’s Trial Manager at Nottingham University, the post-holder will be vital in the successful recruitment and assessment of participants. 

This is an ideal opportunity for someone who wishes to have a career in mental health / research. There is also the possibility of gaining some additional clinical experience with the clinical team. This post has arisen as the previous post holder has successfully in obtained a place on DClin Psych training.  

This is a fixed-term contract until 31st May 2026, with the possibility of subsequent extension. The post is full-time but we will consider candidates who wish to work part-time or job-share. 

Main duties of the job

•    Identification, recruitment and consent of research participants
•    Conduct clinical assessments and outcome measures (including an interview measure of tics the Yale Global Tic Severity Scale (YGTSS), in which specific training will be given) 
•    Follow up participants
•    Data collection and entry in accordance with data protection guidelines and relevant SOPs
•    Coordinate local site activities and report site performance back to the NCTU as needed
•    Advertising the study and liaising with participants’ clinicians
•    To undertake the necessary administration and organisation in relation to the implementation of the project, and ensure the successful conduct and completion of the project

Working for our organisation

About our locations:
Maudsley Hospital (headquarters) 
Our Trust headquarters is located at Denmark Hill less than 5 minutes from the train station (zone 2) and is within walking distance from the beautiful green spaces of Ruskin Park and the vibrant high-street that offers great shopping opportunities and with a wide range of restaurants. (Due to move to the Pears Maudsley Children and Young People (PMCYP) at the Maudsley Hospital in late 2025/early 2026)

Flexible working:
As one of the few Trusts in London we are proud to offer flexible working as part of our new ways of working, and we are happy to talk about flexible working at the interview stage. This is a Monday to Friday 9-5 post, with the option for a combination of blended on site and remote working and flexible hours. The post is full-time but we will consider candidates who wish to work part-time or job-share. (This may include working early mornings, later evenings or Saturdays as part of the core working hours/working pattern for this post)

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

One of the core responsibilities of the role is to identify and recruit participants to the SATURN trial, under the direction of their line manager and the SATURN trial team. This will involve meeting with clinicians, community mental health teams, primary care staff and service users to promote recruitment to the project.

Other key accountabilities of the role

•    Carrying out trial assessments of participants face-to-face or by telephone/video conference under the direction of the Chief Investigator, Principal Investigator, Hub Lead and Trial Manager. 

•    Ensuring treatments, assessment, follow-ups and data collection is coordinated and processed according to protocol-defined timelines.

•    Taking responsibility for local site coordination including maintenance of the site file and reporting site performance back to the clinical trials unit.

•    Supporting site study set-up including assisting with preparation of local documentation and approvals, attending training and cascading of training.

•    Providing on-going information and support for patients involved in the trial.

•    Entering data collected onto a project database according to the study protocol and in keeping with the Data Protection Act and prepare written reports of activity as required.

•    Recording and reporting adverse events/serious adverse events.

 

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria
  • A First-class or Upper-second-class Bachelor’s degree in a relevant undergraduate programme (e.g., Psychology, Health or Social science) (A)
Desirable criteria
  • Relevant further degree (e.g., MSc) (A)
  • Good Clinical Practice training (A)

Experience

Essential criteria
  • Experience of interviewing research participants (A/I)
  • Experience conducting research at a clinical interface, or within a randomised controlled trial (A/I)
Desirable criteria
  • Experience of performing clinical diagnostic assessments (A/I)
  • Demonstrable evidence of working to study recruitment targets (A/I)
  • Experience of working as part of a multidisciplinary team (A/I)
  • Experience of Data Management (A/I)

Understanding and Knowledge

Essential criteria
  • Strong interpersonal, oral and written communication skills with the ability to convey goals of research to lay people (A/I)
  • Attention to detail for careful record taking (A/I)
  • Ability to deal sensitively with study participants and their families / carers (A/I)
  • An understanding of data protection and patient confidentiality (A/I)
  • An awareness of ethical and Research Governance guidelines (A/I)
Desirable criteria
  • Experience of working with people with Neurodevelopmental Disorders or working in CAMHS/Paediatric services (A/I)
  • Experience of database development and management (A/I)

Skills and Abilities

Essential criteria
  • Enthusiastic and self-motivated (A/I)
  • Ability to create good working relationships with participants and support effective data gathering through interviews (A/I)
  • Ability to manage own responsibilities and administrative activities independently whilst seeking senior support when necessary (A/I)
  • Ability to balance competing priorities under pressure of deadlines and workloads (A/I)
  • A pragmatic and diplomatic approach to problem solving
Desirable criteria
  • A commitment to a career in mental health or research (A/I)

Employer certification / accreditation badges

London Healthy workplaceCapital Nurse, LondonNo smoking policyLondon Living Wage is a voluntary commitment made by employers, who can become accredited with the Living Wage FoundationImproving working livesMindful employer.  Being positive about mental health.Stonewall Silver 2022Disability confident employerStonewall equality policy. Equality and justice for lesbians, gay men, bisexual and trans people.Armed Forces Covenant Bronze AwardHappy to Talk Flexible WorkingArmed Forces Covenant

Applicant requirements

The postholder will have regular contact with vulnerable people and as such this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Documents to download

Apply online now

Further details / informal visits contact

Name
Dr Nicoletta Adamo
Job title
Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist
Email address
[email protected]
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