Job responsibilities
Job
Title: Clinical Research Fellow, Rheumatology
Grade:
ST3-5
Specialty/Department:
Rheumatology, NIHR Leeds Biomedical Research
Centre
Site
and Location: Chapel Allerton Hospital
INFORMATION
ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT
Leeds
Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust in
partnership with the University of Leeds and University of York has been awarded a National Institute for
Health and Care Research Leeds
Biomedical Research Centre with funding of 21.7million for five years. This
exciting investment in translational medicine represents a threefold increase
in our previous funding and provides a unique opportunity to drive research
which makes a difference to the health and wealth of the United Kingdom, but
also to our local community.
Building
on our existing strength in musculoskeletal disease and engagement with
patients and the public who are at the heart of all our activities, the new
NIHR Leeds BRC now includes research in Surgical Technologies, Haematology with
the University of York, Cardiometabolic Disease, Pathology, and Antimicrobial
Resistance.
Our
vision is to improve health and wellbeing by accelerating diagnosis, enabling
early treatment that is personalised for each patient and, where possible,
prevent disease and infection. It builds on Leeds sustained excellence in
translational research and industry partnership in musculoskeletal disease,
heart disease, cancer and infection. It is driven by the need to address the
grand challenges of an
ageing, multi-morbid population, which underpins our research themes.
Musculoskeletal
Disease: will identify people at-risk of developing rheumatoid and other
forms of arthritis to: prevent them from developing these conditions; and
develop individually targeted, cost-effective treatments for a variety of
musculoskeletal conditions.
Cardiometabolic
Disease: will discover new principles for detecting and treating heart
disease, particularly in terms of complications from diabetes.
Surgical
Technologies: will develop and apply new surgical technologies to: provide
more precise surgery that is tailored to the biology of the underlying
disease; improve healing of bone and soft tissues; and limit disability
following orthopaedic surgery
Haematology:
will identify the determinants of poor outcomes, enabling development of
personalised-treatment strategies for blood-related cancers.
Pathology:
using AI and screening advances, we will improve the accuracy and speed of
bowel diagnosis, enabling early and more effective
treatment.
Antimicrobial
Resistance and Infection: will accurately identify patients at risk of
antibiotic-resistant infections; ensure our existing antibiotics are working;
and develop new infection treatments.
MEDICAL
STAFF IN THE DEPARTMENT
Prof
Kulveer Mankia Professor of Clinical and Translational Rheumatology and
Consultant Rheumatologist
Prof
Paul Emery Versus Arthritis Professor of Rheumatology
KNOWLEDGE,
SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE REQUIRED
Please
see Person Specification
DUTIES
OF THE POST
The
major role of the successful candidate will be to conduct research in
Musculoskeletal Disease, Work Stream 1: This will include performing research
aimed at preventing progression to inflammatory arthritis in at risk
individuals.
Specific
research projects will investigate:
Validation
of biomarkers, clinical, imaging, serum
Development
of risk models
Initiation
of proof of concept studies in stratified populations
The
appointee will work in conjunction with the LIRMM at the University of Leeds,
in the day-to-day co-ordination of the research. He/she will undertake
projects in a variety of areas within the workstream. The appointee will also
be sub investigator in external clinical trials in the relevant disease area,
will co-ordinate the maintenance of clinical databases for this patient
population and will participate in clinical activities directly related to
the disease area and research. The appointee would be required to attend and
participate in BRC meetings, research
presentations, journal reviews and external speaker meetings, which are held
regularly at Chapel Allerton Hospital.
The appointee would be expected to be
actively involved in the Leeds BRC Trainees Network.
The
main responsibilities will be reviewed in partnership with the theme and
workstream leads, and are outlined as follows:
Deliver
prescribed project objectives on time and within budget.
Be
responsible to the work stream lead / work stream clinical lead for the
successful day-to-day running of the research activities.
Collaborate
with other researchers to build sustainable partnerships of mutual benefit
and aid the process of dissemination.
Communicate
and provide information to academic supervisors including the regular
attendance at formal supervisory meetings.
Attend
and prepare reports for regular meetings with other members of the grant
team, to report progress, agree future work and exchange data/experience.
Manage
aspects of the project and co-ordinate work with other internal and external
collaborators.
Independently
identify additional external and internal resources to effectively deliver
the project work.
Identify
and apply for fellowship funding
Ensure
good progress is maintained and work is undertaken in a systematic way that
is well documented so that data can be shared across the
project group.
Prepare
written papers and presentations to disseminate the research findings.
Work
effectively and positively as required as a team player on a broad range of
activities and related projects within the wider research groupings
Trust
to help achieve the broader strategic development.
Participate
in public engagement activities.
Identify
other research project opportunities and directions as they arise.
Uphold
and enhance the internationally excellent reputation of the organisations you
will be associated with and the independent network of contacts
by building collaborations with other academics, external stakeholders and
users such as clinicians.
Work
within and apply the standard operating procedures, health and safety
regulations and quality assurance procedures of both the Institute and the
School of Medicine and be responsible for the health and safety management of
relevant projects and research work.
Provide
a point of contact for the review of external feasibility studies in
applications of interest and future study development.
To
build excellent working relationships within the Institute and with NHS
Partners and research Sponsors.
Initiation/change
of treatment
The
appointee would be required to attend and participate in BRC meetings,
research presentations, journal reviews and external speaker meetings. The
appointee would be expected to be actively involved in the Leeds BRC Trainees
Network.
LEVELS
OF RESPONSIBILITY
Receive
supervision from Prof Kulveer Mankia and Prof Paul Emery to conduct research
within Work Stream 1 of the Leeds NIHR BRC
To
work collaboratively with research delivery staff including: research nurses,
trial managers, and trial assistants
TEACHING
AND RESEARCH/STUDY AND TRAINING
The
post is FIXED TERM for 24 months due to research specific funding, and is an
opportunity to gain training and experience in a Rheumatology research
setting.
THE
LEEDS WAY VALUES
Our
values are part of what make us different from other trusts, so we see this
as a strength, as well as a responsibility. They have been developed by our
staff and set out what they see as important to how we work.
Our
five values are:
Patient-centred
Collaborative
Fair
Accountable
All
our actions and endeavours will be guided and evaluated through these values
Additionally
the following are core values which relate specifically to this post: The
beliefs and attitudes that underpin effective performance within the job
role. Emphasis should be on the requirements of the role not the individual
when completing this section. Examples might include: quality focus, mistakes
are used as a continual learning experience, honesty, integrity etc.
Leeds
Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust is part of the West Yorkshire Association of
Acute Trusts (WYAAT), a collaborative of the NHS hospital trusts from across
West Yorkshire and Harrogate working together to provide the best possible
care for
our patients.
By
bringing together the wide range of skills and expertise across West
Yorkshire and Harrogate we are working differently, innovating and driving
forward change to deliver the highest quality care. By working for Leeds
Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust this is your opportunity to be a part of that
change.
WYAAT
is the acute sector arm of the West Yorkshire and Harrogate Health and Care
Partnership, one of the largest integrated care systems in the country. The
Partnerships ambition is for everyone to have the best possible health and
wellbeing,
and the work of WYAAT, and each individual trust, supports that ambition.
CONDITIONS
OF SERVICE
This
post is covered by the Hospital Medical and Dental Staff (England and Wales)
Terms and Conditions of Service. These documents are available on the Medical
Staffing Intranet site. The post holder is required to be fully registered
with the General Medical Council (GMC) and hold a licence to practice.
Standards
of Conduct and Behaviour
You
are required to work to the standards set out by the General Medical Council
in Good Medical Practice. This includes protecting patients when you believe
that a doctors or other colleagues conduct, performance or health is a
threat to them.
If, after establishing the facts, it is necessary, you must follow the
Trusts procedures in this matter and inform your Clinical Director or
Medical Director in the first instance.