Oxford Health NHS Trust

Specialty Doctor in Clinical Research (Adult/Older Adult Psychiatry)

The closing date is 26 April 2026

Job summary

Do you want to work for the only NIHR-supported Clinical Research Facility in England dedicated to mental health and make a difference to clinical research? We are recruiting for a full-time Specialty Doctor in Clinical Research to join the NIHR Oxford Health Clinical Research Facility (OH CRF) based at on-site at the Warneford Hospital for a 12 month fixed-term contract.

In this role you'll provide protocol specific medical cover for research studies, manage the clinical care of patients in the research clinics and provide general medical support to the OH CRF. Patients and participants have a wide range of diagnoses, including but not limited to: healthy controls, depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, psychosis and schizophrenia, PTSD, mild cognitive impairment and dementia. Participants are from adolescents upwards with no upper age limit.

You'll be primarily based at the OH CRF where there is an eight-bed unit fully equipped for carrying out high intensity clinical research with laboratory and pharmacy facilities, sleep rooms and staffed by experienced medical, nursing and research staff. There may also be a requirement to attend our satellite clinics on the same site or at the Whiteleaf Centre in Aylesbury.

We are seeking GMC registered clinicians with Part I MRCPsych (or equivalent experience) and a minimum of two years' experience in psychiatry and clinical research. If this matches your background, we'd be delighted to receive your application.

Main duties of the job

  • Provide day to day medical care for research participants, including protocol driven assessments, examinations, and consent discussions
  • Manage physical and psychiatric needs in specialist clinics and make referrals as required
  • Ensure accurate, timely GCP compliant documentation in the EHR and study systems
  • Perform clinical procedures such as venepuncture and cannulation (training provided)
  • Work collaboratively with internal and external partners to support study delivery and operational activities
  • Contribute to training, service development, and PPI/E within the Clinical Research Facility

Our research facility is the only NIHR-supported CRF dedicated entirely to mental health. We work in partnership with the University of Oxford to deliver 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 was awarded over £4.5 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. The OH CRF is also supported by the UK Mental Health Mission and an affiliate member of the Dementia Trials Network.

About us

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

Details

Date posted

13 April 2026

Pay scheme

Hospital medical and dental staff

Grade

Specialty Doctor

Salary

£61,542 to £99,216 a year per annum, dependent on experience and NHS service

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

12 months

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

267-MSCR7722548-A

Job locations

NIHR Oxford Health Clinical Research Facility, Warneford Hospital

Warneford Lane, Headington

Oxford

OX3 7JX


Job description

Job responsibilities

Under the supervision and direction of the consultant, you will be responsible for the following:

  • Day-to-day provision of medical activity and cover for:1. research participants (patients and healthy volunteers) on the CRF, including those attending for research visits and queries arising between visits2. 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 enrolment3. 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
  • Contribute to OH CRF Study Coordinator meetings and, as experience develops, may provide medical input into feasibility assessments, study setup, SOP development, and operational management. You may also be asked to perform clinical procedures such as venepuncture and cannulation, with training provided if required.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Provide daytime medical cover to Immediate Life Support level as part of the wider CRF team (training provided).
  • Participate 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.
  • Contribute to Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement (PPI/E) activities at the OH CRF.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Under the supervision and direction of the consultant, you will be responsible for the following:

  • Day-to-day provision of medical activity and cover for:1. research participants (patients and healthy volunteers) on the CRF, including those attending for research visits and queries arising between visits2. 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 enrolment3. 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
  • Contribute to OH CRF Study Coordinator meetings and, as experience develops, may provide medical input into feasibility assessments, study setup, SOP development, and operational management. You may also be asked to perform clinical procedures such as venepuncture and cannulation, with training provided if required.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Provide daytime medical cover to Immediate Life Support level as part of the wider CRF team (training provided).
  • Participate 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.
  • Contribute to Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement (PPI/E) activities at the OH CRF.

Person Specification

Travel

Essential

  • Transport - mobility as required for the post

Desirable

  • Driving licence and own transport

Qualifications

Essential

  • General medical qualification
  • Part I MRCPsych or equivalent experience
  • GMC registration - full and current

Desirable

  • MRCPsych part 2 or equivalent

Experience

Essential

  • A minimum of 2 years' experience in Psychiatry
  • Experience of clinical research
  • Experience of clinical responsibility - to exercise an intermediate level of clinical responsibility as delegated by the Consultant in charge

Desirable

  • Experience in mental health experimental medicine
  • A higher research degree (e.g. a master's or doctorate)
  • Teaching experience - medical undergraduates or other trainees
  • Publications in scientific journals
  • Experience in specialist research delivery at a CRF or equivalent

Training

Essential

  • A minimum of four years' full-time postgraduate training in clinical medicine (or its equivalent gained on a part-time or flexible basis)

Desirable

  • Training in a specialty training programme in a relevant specialty or as a fixed term specialty trainee in a relevant specialty (or equivalent experience and competencies).
  • Up to date GCP (research)
Person Specification

Travel

Essential

  • Transport - mobility as required for the post

Desirable

  • Driving licence and own transport

Qualifications

Essential

  • General medical qualification
  • Part I MRCPsych or equivalent experience
  • GMC registration - full and current

Desirable

  • MRCPsych part 2 or equivalent

Experience

Essential

  • A minimum of 2 years' experience in Psychiatry
  • Experience of clinical research
  • Experience of clinical responsibility - to exercise an intermediate level of clinical responsibility as delegated by the Consultant in charge

Desirable

  • Experience in mental health experimental medicine
  • A higher research degree (e.g. a master's or doctorate)
  • Teaching experience - medical undergraduates or other trainees
  • Publications in scientific journals
  • Experience in specialist research delivery at a CRF or equivalent

Training

Essential

  • A minimum of four years' full-time postgraduate training in clinical medicine (or its equivalent gained on a part-time or flexible basis)

Desirable

  • Training in a specialty training programme in a relevant specialty or as a fixed term specialty trainee in a relevant specialty (or equivalent experience and competencies).
  • Up to date GCP (research)

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.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Additional information

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.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details

Employer name

Oxford Health NHS Trust

Address

NIHR Oxford Health Clinical Research Facility, Warneford Hospital

Warneford Lane, Headington

Oxford

OX3 7JX


Employer's website

https://www.oxfordhealth.nhs.uk (Opens in a new tab)


Employer details

Employer name

Oxford Health NHS Trust

Address

NIHR Oxford Health Clinical Research Facility, Warneford Hospital

Warneford Lane, Headington

Oxford

OX3 7JX


Employer's website

https://www.oxfordhealth.nhs.uk (Opens in a new tab)


Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Hon Consultant Psychiatrist / CRF Clinical Lead

Dr Katharine Smith

oxfordhealth.CRF@nhs.net

01865902135

Details

Date posted

13 April 2026

Pay scheme

Hospital medical and dental staff

Grade

Specialty Doctor

Salary

£61,542 to £99,216 a year per annum, dependent on experience and NHS service

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

12 months

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

267-MSCR7722548-A

Job locations

NIHR Oxford Health Clinical Research Facility, Warneford Hospital

Warneford Lane, Headington

Oxford

OX3 7JX


Supporting documents

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