Job summary
- Main area
- Research and Development
- Grade
- NHS AfC: Band 5
- Contract
- Fixed term: 18 months ((from start of contract))
- Hours
- Full time
- Flexible working
- Job ref
- 354-CO-21914
- Employer
- Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Dementia Research Unit
- Town
- Crowborough
- Salary
- £32,073 - £39,043 per annum
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 06/07/2026 23:59
Employer heading
Clinical Research Assistant (Dementia Research Unit)
NHS AfC: Band 5
Come and join us
We’re looking for people who share our values of compassion, accountability and optimism to help us provide high quality care for the patients, carers, families and communities we serve. We specialise in NHS mental health and learning disability services and we’re proud to make a difference every day.
At SPFT we put people first. We’ll do everything possible to help you feel respected, valued and included. You’ll have opportunities to learn, grow and gain new experiences to support your career, with access to lifelong learning and professional development.
We actively promote flexible working and understand how important work life balance is, especially in healthcare. Whether it’s part time hours, hybrid working or flexible start and finish times, we’ll explore what works for you and the role.
We recognise that tools like AI are becoming part of everyday life and you may choose to use them when preparing your application. We welcome this, as long as what you submit reflects your own experience, skills and voice. AI can be helpful for structuring or refining your answers, but it should not replace your own examples or create content that isn’t based on your real experience.
Our recruitment process is designed to get to know you, and we’ll explore your examples further at interview, so it’s important your application genuinely represents what you bring. You can read more about using AI in applications and interviews on our recruitment process page.
We’re shaping a workplace where ideas are encouraged, technology supports you and everyone has a voice in how we improve. If that sounds like the kind of organisation you want to be part of, we’d love to hear from you.
Job overview
An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Clinical Research Assistant to join the Research and Development Department.
This is a fixed-term opportunity for a nurse, other healthcare worker, or a health/social care/psychology graduate with experience in clinical research to join our established team and work on a diverse portfolio of research studies.
This is a fantastic opportunity to develop your clinical research skills and expertise. You will be supported with personal and professional development.
You will work on a range of projects including recruiting participants, help to support and engage them in research, oversee local study set-up, collect data, carry out clinical assessments and ensure research follows good clinical practice.
You will engage in outreach and engagement with diverse communities to promote and facilitate inclusivity and diverse recruitment.
We are seeking a motivated, organised individual who works well with competing deadlines and has strong interpersonal and communication skills, sensitivity and empathy. Previous clinical experience in NHS dementia services is an advantage, as is previous clinical research study experience.
This post involves substantial travel across Sussex and you will be assigned to projects in any of the Trust locations. There may also be travel within or outside the UK for study meetings, conferences and events.
Main duties of the job
Clinical Research:
- To ensure the wellbeing of trial participants as the primary concern of research practice.
- To identify potential participants for research studies according to specific protocols and guidelines, and to assist staff in providing information so that service users may make informed decisions about their participation.
- To screen for participant eligibility to enter research studies.
- To obtain valid informed consent from prospective research participants and assess mental capacity.
- To carry out assessment of the needs of participants/relatives
- To conduct trial related activities, including dissemination of findings and archiving
- To liaise with senior clinical and management staff to encourage and support their active involvement in research.
- To attend multidisciplinary team meetings regularly to identify appropriate participants.
- To manage emotional distress and behaviours that challenge when working with people living with dementia and mental health issues.
Training & Development:
- To attend study specific training as appropriate to role and attend all mandatory training for Trust / role.
- To support junior clinical research staff and students on placements.
Administration:
- To cover duties of other Clinical Research Practitioners when required.
- To undertake any other duties, which may be required from time to time, as are consistent with the responsibilities of the grade and needs of the service.
Working for our organisation
Sussex Partnership is one of the most research active Mental Health Trusts in England. The successful applicant will be supported by a large and expanding Research & Development Department that is committed to the design, delivery and translation of high-quality research.
Our team of clinical researchers manage the delivery of high-quality clinical research, funded by the National Institute of Health Research (NIHR). We work closely with our research partners like the University of Sussex, Brighton & Sussex medical School, other universities and NHS Trusts across the country. Our work mainly involves recruitment of participants, data collection, clinical & psychological assessments and dissemination of findings.
There will be opportunities to meet staff on other projects and from different disciplines, and to take up CPD opportunities to strengthen your clinical and research work experience. You will receive regular clinical and management supervision and work closely with other health professionals and clinical academics. We welcome flexible and agile working to ensure our team members' wellbeing.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Duties and responsibilities are listed in the section on 'Main Duties of the Job'.
Key Relationships: The role will involve close liaison with mental health, social care and primary care services including both inpatient units and community settings, as well as with appropriate Research & Development Departments and Clinical Nurse Specialists. The post holder will be the link between the research team and SPFT clinical teams and colleagues at Brighton and Sussex Medical School. Furthermore, the post-holder will actively promote research amongst clinicians, service users, the wider NHS and communities in Sussex.
IMPORTANT:
This position does not meet the threshold for skilled worker sponsorship for a health and care worker visa. We can only accept applications for candidates who do not require sponsorship and have an unrestricted right to work in the UK for the full duration of the contract, or who meet the skilled worker threshold for sponsorship and can evidence a minimum of 4 years of experience in an NHS equivalent role at the same professional level
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
- Degree in Psychology, Health Services Research, Nursing or a health or social science discipline
Desirable criteria
- Further post graduate training/experience in relevant area of professional psychology, health and social care practice, and / or research design and analysis
Knowledge / Experience
Essential criteria
- Experience of working with people with complex needs
- Experience of working with people with disabilities, in a health or Mental Health setting and or work with people with complex needs
- Relevant clinical and research skills
- Experience of working as part of a multi-disciplinary team
- Basic knowledge of databases, research skills and methodology
- Experience of working with mental health service users in a research capacity
- Ability to apply existing psychological knowledge to a health context
- An understanding of psychology applied to health care
Desirable criteria
- Experience of the use of psychometric tests
- Experience of in-patient settings
- Experience of teaching other health professionals
- Lived experience of mental health issues
Skills
Essential criteria
- To be able to communicate effectively under pressure and maintain a high degree of professionalism at all times
- To be able to provide and receive complex sensitive or contentious information in a potentially highly emotive atmosphere. To be able to work with resistance to ideas.
- High standard of report writing
- To assimilate complex information and use reflective/analytic thinking, to apply psychological perspectives in work with clients
- Ability to be flexible and cope with multiple demands.
- Capable of using initiative and organise work to agreed goals. Ability to work independently and know when to ask for and use supervision, identifying when there is need for advice and using supervision at agreed intervals
- Requires manual dexterity and good eye-hand coordination to administer tests and assessments and use computer key boards. Able to carry out PMVA interventions
Approach / Values
Essential criteria
- Demonstrate support for the values and beliefs of the Care Group and those of the Trust
Desirable criteria
- Ability to travel across sites
Employer certification / accreditation badges
Applicant requirements
The postholder will have access to vulnerable people in the course of their normal duties 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
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Natalie Portwine
- Job title
- Clinical Research Team Lead - Dementia
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 01892 603107
- Additional information
or 01903 382372
List jobs with Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust in Administrative Services or all sectors