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 "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

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.



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.



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.