Job summary
- Main area
- Research and Development
- Grade
- NHS AfC: Band 5
- Contract
- Fixed term: 17 months (Contract ends 19/02/2027)
- Hours
- Full time
- Job share
- Flexible working
- Job ref
- 354-CO-21730(F)
- Employer
- Sussex Partnership NHS FoundationTrust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Sussex Education Centre
- Town
- Hove
- Salary
- £31,049 - £37,796 per annum, pro rata
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 01/09/2025 23:59
Employer heading
Senior Research Assistant
NHS AfC: Band 5
Come and join us
We're looking for people who share our values (compassion, accountability and optimism) to help us provide high quality care to the patients, carers, families and local communities we serve. We specialise in providing NHS mental health and learning disability services.
So what can we offer you in return?
We're an organisation which puts people first. We'll do everything possible to help you feel respected, valued and included. We'll help you learn, acquire new skills and gain further experience to support your career development. And we'll provide the opportunity for you to bring your fresh ideas to work about how we can do things differently and continue improving.
You will also be joining a health and care system committed to working together to do the best we can for the communities we serve. Above all, at Sussex Partnership you'll have the chance to make a difference to the lives of the patients, carers and families across our communities.
As a Trust we are committed in making a difference. Your development is important to us, so don't forget to ask us during interview what opportunities we can offer. We can offer fully funded lifelong learning opportunities such as an apprenticeship from GCSE to Masters level.
If you like the sound of that, then come and join our team.
Job overview
Are you are interested in being part of cutting-edge research within Mental Health care? Are you looking to develop your research skills and experience further?
If yes, then this opportunity could be for you.
We are currently running a Wellcome Trust funded study called "CONNECT", and we are looking to hire a two full-time Senior Research Assistants. You can read more about the study here: https://www.connectdigitalstudy.com/
As the Senior Research Assistant, your roll is key to the success of the study. You will be responsible for the recruitment and assessment of participants.
You will need excellent communication and liaison skills to promote the study locally, and recruit from mental health services and organisations which are used by people with psychosis. To do this you will be required to travel to locations not always accessible by public transport
Please note: 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 this 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
Main duties of the job
As the Senior Research Assistant, your main duties will be:
- To identify, recruit and conduct assessments of mental health; and well-being for people with psychosis;
- To introduce patients to the digital tools;
- To record outcomes;
- Contribute to reports;
- Support the engagement of patients in the study.
We are looking for highly motivated candidates with excellent communication skills who are able to build a strong rapport and relationship with both service users and staff; who have excellent research and IT skills and the ability to work flexibly and conduct high quality assessments with service users with a psychosis diagnosis.
Working for our organisation
The R&D department in Sussex Partnership Foundation Trust is a large and vibrant department with research assistants and clinical studies officers working across a variety of projects.
As the CONNECT Senior Research Assistant, you will work directly with two other Senior Research Assistants, the team research coordinator Dr Ellie Robson, and with Professor Kathryn Greenwood (Professor of Clinical Psychology) locally.
You will also receive training and be linked to the multidisciplinary research group with international leaders in their fields in Manchester, London, Cardiff, Glasgow and Edinburgh.
There will also 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. There are regular psychosis research lab meetings, and Sussex Psychosis Research interest Group (SPRiG) seminars, which will further strengthen your knowledge and skills.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
- To assist the Research Coordinator/Project Manager and other research group members in the planning of research.
- To identify and recruit participants into all phases of the study.
- To liaise and work with clinical teams in recruiting participants into the study.
- To undertake protocol based psychological assessments, including administration of self-report measures, rating scales, direct and indirect structured observations and semi-structured interviews with participants and others involved in their care, including extraction of relevant data from medical records.
- To set participants up on a digital remote monitoring platform (e.g. using apps) and support participants to use and work with digital devices (e.g. wearable devices).
- To support ethics applications and ethical amendments, as required.
- To collect and maintain high quality, valid and reliable clinical activity and outcome data and appropriate statistical and data management information including active participation in inter-rater reliability checks.
- To attend and contribute to appropriate multi-disciplinary meetings, steering groups and other forums.
- To maintain accurate and complete records of all findings including maintaining recruitment figures with relevant NHS Trusts and managing databases to record research data and monitor study activity.
- To assist with the writing of reports for submission to research sponsors and presentation material.
- Work closely with the Research Coordinator/Project Manager, and the other study site research assistants.
- Work alongside the project team across all sites in a collegiate manner.
- Support and promote patient and public involvement across the whole project.
- Work flexibly for the benefit of the project and as required.
- Travel to different sites across East and West Sussex where appropriate.
- Comply with departmental policies concerning security, safety and patient confidentiality and to ensure that procedures are carried out with the safe systems work.
Other Duties:
- To undertake administration tasks, necessary training and/or development.
- Any other duties commensurate with the grade of the post as directed by the line manager/supervisor.
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
- Honours degree at 2:1 or above in Psychology, or equivalent.
Desirable criteria
- Further post graduate training in relevant area of professional psychology, health and social care practice, and / or research design and analysis
- A post-graduate degree (MSc or equivalent) in the Psychology field would be desirable
Experience, Knowledge
Essential criteria
- Up-to-date theoretical and practical knowledge in working with people with severe mental health problems, particularly people who experience psychosis.
- Experience of using psychological self-report measures, rating scales, direct and indirect structured observations and semi-structured interviews with people with severe mental health problems.
- Experience working with people with severe mental health problems in an NHS context.
- Experience of working with mental health service users in a research capacity
- Understanding of confidentiality and protocols for ethics and data protection.
Desirable criteria
- Experience of teaching other health professionals
- Lived experience of mental health issues
- Experience working as an assistant psychologist or research assistant or PhD completed in a clinical psychology field.
- Experience with, and commitment to, patient and public engagement and non-academic dissemination of research study findings.
Skills
Essential criteria
- Ability to use initiative to efficiently plan, optimise and progress project and communicate findings.
- Time management skills including ability to manage own workload within defined parameters and adhere to agreed timelines.
- IT skills (e.g. experience using Microsoft Excel, SPSS, R or equivalent statistical package, Nvivo qualitative data software).
- Ability to work effectively as a team member as well as working alone.
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills and ability to work with colleagues at all levels.
- Flexible approach to dealing with research problems as they arise.
- Ability to use initiative to efficiently plan, optimise and progress projects.
Personal Attributes
Essential criteria
- Punctual and flexible across hours of work when required
- Demonstrate an understanding of the practices of Human Rights in the delivery of this role
Desirable criteria
- The candidate must also be able to travel to different research sites. A driving license and access to a vehicle is desirable
Employer certification / accreditation badges
Applicant requirements
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.
Application numbers
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Professor Kathryn Greenwood
- Job title
- Clinical Research Fellow
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 07879 551385
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