Job overview

This is an exciting opportunity for a resident doctor considering a career in neurology to gain experience in clinical research, while continuing training in neurology.  The post holder will divide their time equally between research and clinical duties.  The post is suitable for doctors coming to the end of their IMT training or in higher specialist training who want to take time out of full-time clinical work and develop research skills.  The post will be equally shared between clinical neurology research and clinical experience and teaching. 

Within research, the post holder will support the current research team of nurses, co-ordinators and principal investigators to build on our strong foundations. They will support the expansion of our portfolio of early phase trials through our recently awarded NIHR Clinical Research Facility.  The role will include recruiting to and following up participants in research studies and supporting the research nurses with portfolio management. The postholder will work closely with the principal investigators of the studies they are assigned to.  This will enable dedicated teaching time as well as clinic-based work to continue with training requirements. 

Within clinical neurology, the post holder will be part of the neurology junior doctors’ team at a registrar level, attending wards, clinics and on call services in stroke and neurology.

Main duties of the job

The role will be split 50:50 between research and clinical duties. A detailed timetable will be agreed with the post holder.   

The Clinical Research Fellow will be supporting clinical research studies in motor neuron disease, neuromuscular diseases, epilepsy and dementia.  They will be responsible for recruitment and maintaining governance of trials as well as helping set up new studies.

• To undertake appropriate clinical evaluation of the patients and other tasks for effective running of the research e.g., informed consent, administering rating scales, lumbar punctures
• To attend research meetings and seminars within the group and at scientific conferences
• To assist the Band 7 research nurse in governance and set up of clinical trials
• To undertake any necessary training and/or development
• To plan and contribute to the writing of future research proposals for funding and fellowship applications
• Attend relevant clinics e.g. MND, neuromuscular or dementia, for clinical and research development advances

The Clinical Neurology role will depend on the rotation in the post.  There will be opportunity for clinic-based work, acute stroke unit care as well as acute and regional neurology work through the 2 years.

Working for our organisation

St George’s, Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals and Health Group cares for a population of four million people in South West London and North East Surrey. Our sites include St George’s Hospital, one of 11 major trauma centres in the UK and the largest healthcare provider and major teaching hospital in the area; St Helier Hospital, home to the South West Thames Renal and Transplantation Unit and Queen Mary's Hospital for Children; and Epsom Hospital, home to the South West London Elective Orthopaedic Centre (SWLEOC). 

 After years of collaboration, our two Trusts became a hospitals group in 2021. While remaining as two separate Trusts, being a hospitals group will help us to collaborate more closely on research, and the development, education, and training of our 17,000-strong workforce.