Job Description

The NIHR Oxford Health Clinical Research Facility (OH CRF), based at the Warneford Hospital in Oxford, is the only NIHR-supported CRF in England dedicated to mental health and is hosted by Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust. In partnership with the University of Oxford, the CRF delivers patient-orientated non-commercial and commercial early phase experimental clinical research with the potential to transform understanding and treatment of cognitive health challenges, including dementia, mood disorders, and schizophrenia. The OH CRF has recently been awarded over 4 million in funding over five years by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), and is one of 28 facilities across England to benefit from nearly 161 million awarded nationally to expand early phase clinical research delivery in NHS hospitals.



NIHR Oxford Health CRF Website



The post holder will be a Specialty Grade Doctor, responsible for delivering protocol-specific medical activity and providing broader clinical support to the Oxford Health Clinical Research Facility (OH CRF). Based primarily at the Warneford site, the post involves working within an eight-bed unit equipped for high-intensity early phase research, including pharmacy, laboratory, and overnight facilities, supported by a multidisciplinary clinical and research team. The role includes participant assessment, informed consent, physical and psychiatric care, and data documentation. The post-holder will be supervised by a Consultant Psychiatrist and may occasionally provide medical input at the OHFT Whiteleaf Centre in Aylesbury or support other OHFT research teams as required.



This is an exciting time to join Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust and become part of the Oxfordshire adult service.



If you relish a challenge, are enthusiastic about improving mental health of patients and want to join a friendly and ambitious service which is modernising and expanding at pace, then OHFT has all the right ingredients.



Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust provides physical, mental health and social care for people of all ages across Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Swindon, Wiltshire, Bath and North East Somerset.



Our services are delivered at community bases, hospitals, clinics and people's homes, delivering care as close to home as possible



Our vision is that no matter who you are or where you are, you will tell us that you receive: "Outstanding care delivered by an outstanding team"

Our values are:

"Caring, safe and excellent"



At Oxford Health we offer a wide range of benefits designed to support your career and wellbeing. These include:



Excellent opportunities for career progression



Access to tailored individual and Trust wide learning and development



27 days annual leave, plus bank holidays, rising to 33 days with continuous service



NHS Discount across a wide range of shops, restaurants and retailers



Competitive pension scheme



Lease car scheme



Cycle to work scheme



Employee Assistance Programme



Mental Health First Aiders



Staff networking and support groups hosted by our Equality, Diversity & Inclusion team



Under the supervision and direction of the consultant, the post holder will be responsible for:

Day-to-day provision of medical activity and cover for:

research participants (patients and healthy volunteers) on the CRF, including those attending for research visits and queries arising between visits



protocol-driven activity requiring medical input such as explaining studies and obtaining informed consent, conducting physical and neurological examinations, applying specialist assessment tools, and assessing eligibility for enrolment



managing the physical and psychiatric care of participants when required, including the ongoing clinical care of patients within specialist research clinics (e.g. Treatment Resistant Depression and Bipolar Disorder clinics), and making referrals to appropriate agencies if needed



The post-holder will contribute to CRF Study Coordinator meetings and, as experience develops, may provide medical input into feasibility assessments, study setup, SOP development, and operational management. They may also be asked to perform clinical procedures such as venepuncture and cannulation, with training provided if required.



They will ensure timely and accurate data entry in compliance with Good Clinical Practice (GCP), including documentation in the electronic health record (E.H.R.), completion of CRF Manager system entries, and correspondence to GPs and other professionals.



The post-holder will work collaboratively with internal and external stakeholders, including OHFT clinical teams, R&D, University of Oxford researchers, commercial sponsors, the local Clinical Research Network, and Oxford University Hospitals. Occasional support may be required at the OHFT Whiteleaf Centre in Aylesbury or more often with other research delivery teams, including the Memory and Cognition team.



The post-holder will provide daytime medical cover to Immediate Life Support level as part of the wider CRF team (training provided).



Participation in research-related training, including GCP and study-specific education, is expected. Further professional development opportunities will be supported by the line manager where appropriate. They may also contribute to the development of new research ideas and materials, and take shared responsibility for research project administration and communication.



They will contribute to Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement (PPI/E) activities at the CRF.



Study workload varies depending on protocol intensity and participant volume but is typically predictable due to the structured, timetabled nature of CRF operations.