Job Description

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 " Sleeping Better ", and we are looking to hire a part-time Senior Research Assistant.



The study will recruit individuals with psychosis or an At Risk Mental State to evaluate a new psychological sleep intervention in a Randomised Controlled Trial. You can read more about the study here: https://www.psy.ox.ac.uk/research/oxford-cognitive-approaches-to-psychosis/projects-1/sleeping-better



You will be responsible for the recruitment and assessment of participants. Recruitment for the project will be based in the catchment areas of Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust.



A full driving license is preferred as you will be required to travel to locations not easily accessible by public transport.



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 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

As the Senior Research Assistant, your main duties will be:

To identify, recruit and conduct assessments of mental health and well-being, neuropsychological/cognitive and functional outcomes for people with psychosis;

To introduce patients to the study and the therapy;

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.



The R&D department in Sussex Partnership Foundation Trust is a large and vibrant department with research assistants and clinical research practitioners working across a variety of projects.



As the Sleeping Better trial Senior Research Assistant, you will work directly with other Senior Research Assistants, the trial co-ordinator/lead psychologist and with the Sussex Principal Investigator Professor Kathryn Greenwood (Professor of Clinical Psychology) locally.



You will also receive expert training and supervision with international leaders in their fields and through the multidisciplinary research group (Oxford, Bristol, Glasgow and Cumbria, Northumberland Tyne and Wear).



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 experience. There are regular psychosis research lab meetings, and Sussex Psychosis Research interest Group (SPRiG) seminars to further strengthen your knowledge and skills.



Identify and recruit participants into all phases of the study.

Liaise and work with clinical teams in recruiting participants into the study.

Introduce the trial and the therapy and take informed consent

Undertake protocol based psychological assessments, including administration of clinical assessments of psychosis and the at risk mental state, self-report measures, rating scales, direct and indirect structured observations, semi-structured interviews and neuropsychological assessments (after training) with participants, including extraction of relevant data from medical records.

Build strong therapeutic relationships and work flexibly to engage and retain participants in the trial

To support ethical amendments, as required.

To collect and maintain high quality, valid and reliable clinical activity and outcome data and appropriate 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 trial PI, co-ordinator and 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.