Job summary
We are recruiting three Assistant Psychologist posts (AP) (3.0 wte) to help evaluate the benefit of new psychological therapies for people with psychosis.
The currently advertised post is for 12 months with the likelihood it will be extended if the trials recruit successfully to target.
The Sleeping better and feeling safer trials are investigating whether a new psychological treatments help reduce distress in people with psychosis, and improves their quality of life.
We have two posts on Feeling Safer and one for Sleeping better. Both are multi-centre studies of a psychological intervention and are funded by grants led by Professor Daniel Freeman, and Dr. Felicity Waite from the University of Oxford. The post-holder will be based with Robert Dudley's research team in the Early intervention in Psychosis service and colleagues working on other psychosis research projects at St Nicholas Hospital in Newcastle, and will work in CNTW NHS Foundation Trust.
Main duties of the job
The posts will help deliver large-scale studies to evaluate the real world use and clinical effectiveness of a new psychological treatment for people with psychosis or for sleeping better also those with an ultra high risk of developing psychosis. The posts will be based in Newcastle but will involve travel across the Trust. The post holders will act as a research assistant and work with the trial therapists, trial coordinator and the site lead to help evaluate the treatment trials.
The ideal candidate will have experience in research and or clinical settings. It may help if you have experience of working with people who have experienced difficulties with paranoia and unusual experiences like hallucinations. They should have the ability to organize and manage multiple interlinked components of the project and their work. They will need to demonstrate a high level of interpersonal skills and be able to conduct interviews and assessment with potentially vulnerable individuals. Most importantly, they will need to be enthusiastic about the research area and have a high level of motivation and commitment.
About us
We aim to attract and retain a diverse, talented and committed workforce, who are caring and compassionate, and therefore able to meet the demands of the modern NHS now and in the future. In return we can offer a dynamic working environment in which to build a career.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The main role of the trial assistant will be as outlined below:
- Screening, recruitment, and assessment of patients for the sleeping better or feeling safer controlled trial of psychological treatment. This will involve speaking to referrers regularly, attending clinical team meetings, visiting teams. There are monthly recruitment targets.
- Participants will be seen in clinic settings or at home across a large geographical area. This means there will be extensive travel which would be facilitated by having valid driving licence, and access to own or other independent means of transport.
- Good record-keeping will be needed, including updating medical records with trial progress and completing the recruitment database.
- You will need to produce regular reports on the recruitment process (including managing the recruitment database) and assessments.
- You will need to regularly enter and check data in the study databases.
- Attendance at supervision will be expected, and at appropriate research team meetings, including training at the lead site, London.
Please find attached job description for full details.
Advertising date : 8th May 2025
Closing date : 22nd May 2025
Likely interview dates: 4th to 6th June 2025
We welcome your application.
Please note - this vacancy may close early if a suitable number of applications are received.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The main role of the trial assistant will be as outlined below:
- Screening, recruitment, and assessment of patients for the sleeping better or feeling safer controlled trial of psychological treatment. This will involve speaking to referrers regularly, attending clinical team meetings, visiting teams. There are monthly recruitment targets.
- Participants will be seen in clinic settings or at home across a large geographical area. This means there will be extensive travel which would be facilitated by having valid driving licence, and access to own or other independent means of transport.
- Good record-keeping will be needed, including updating medical records with trial progress and completing the recruitment database.
- You will need to produce regular reports on the recruitment process (including managing the recruitment database) and assessments.
- You will need to regularly enter and check data in the study databases.
- Attendance at supervision will be expected, and at appropriate research team meetings, including training at the lead site, London.
Please find attached job description for full details.
Advertising date : 8th May 2025
Closing date : 22nd May 2025
Likely interview dates: 4th to 6th June 2025
We welcome your application.
Please note - this vacancy may close early if a suitable number of applications are received.
Person Specification
Skills and Competencies
Essential
- High level of communication skills (written and oral), including an ability to communicate and work in highly emotive circumstances.
- Ability to communicate sensitive information to clients, carers and colleagues.
- An understanding of the needs and difficulties of people with mental health problems and other disabilities.
- Ability to apply existing psychological knowledge to a mental health / cognitive impairment / disability context.
- Computer literate, including use of databases & data analysis, e.g. SPSS for Windows.
- Demonstrates graduate level knowledge and experience of research and research methodology.
- An understanding of psychology applied to healthcare.
Desirable
- A high standard of report writing.
Education and Qualification
Essential
- Upper 2nd class honours degree, or higher, in psychology.
- Eligibility for graduate membership of British Psychological Society.
Desirable
- Further post graduate training in relevant areas of psychology, mental health practice and/or research design and analysis.
Knowledge and Experience
Essential
- Paid or unpaid work with people with mental health problems and/or other disabilities.
- Experience as an assistant/research psychologist.
- Knowledge of evidence based practice
Desirable
- Experience of paid work in direct care provision.
- Experience with client group relevant to post.
- Experience of psychometric test administration and interpretation.
- Experience of providing individual or group interventions.
Research experience
Essential
- Relevant research experience at undergrad or masters
Desirable
- Experience of recruitment for trials, or worked in a clinical setting doing assessments
Person Specification
Skills and Competencies
Essential
- High level of communication skills (written and oral), including an ability to communicate and work in highly emotive circumstances.
- Ability to communicate sensitive information to clients, carers and colleagues.
- An understanding of the needs and difficulties of people with mental health problems and other disabilities.
- Ability to apply existing psychological knowledge to a mental health / cognitive impairment / disability context.
- Computer literate, including use of databases & data analysis, e.g. SPSS for Windows.
- Demonstrates graduate level knowledge and experience of research and research methodology.
- An understanding of psychology applied to healthcare.
Desirable
- A high standard of report writing.
Education and Qualification
Essential
- Upper 2nd class honours degree, or higher, in psychology.
- Eligibility for graduate membership of British Psychological Society.
Desirable
- Further post graduate training in relevant areas of psychology, mental health practice and/or research design and analysis.
Knowledge and Experience
Essential
- Paid or unpaid work with people with mental health problems and/or other disabilities.
- Experience as an assistant/research psychologist.
- Knowledge of evidence based practice
Desirable
- Experience of paid work in direct care provision.
- Experience with client group relevant to post.
- Experience of psychometric test administration and interpretation.
- Experience of providing individual or group interventions.
Research experience
Essential
- Relevant research experience at undergrad or masters
Desirable
- Experience of recruitment for trials, or worked in a clinical setting doing assessments
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
