South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust

Research Assistant

The closing date is 25 May 2025

Job summary

Imagine if the work you did today could impact on how mental health care is delivered tomorrow. An exciting opportunity has arisen join the Research and Development (R&D) Team at South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust.

This is an excellent development opportunity for a motivated and hardworking individual to be part of our research team and expand their own knowledge of practice through supporting the delivery of research studies taking place within the trust. The portfolio of studies makes this role challenging and rewarding for the right candidate.

As a member of staff from within the Trust, you will understand the clinical priorities and structures of teams and use this knowledge and skills to reach out to service users to discuss involvement in study participation. In addition, you will have the opportunity to develop skills and knowledge about research through supporting our strategic ambitions to build research capacity in our workforce.

For further details / informal discussions contact:

Name - Carrie - Ann Black

Job title - Head of Nursing for Research and Quality

Email address - carrie-ann.black@slam.nhs.uk

Main duties of the job

? Carry out planned care required by the clinical trials protocol for patients and volunteers without direct supervision

? Responsible for screening and recruiting to clinical studies. This includes both randomised clinical trials and other high quality clinical studies. The role will involve working closely with multidisciplinary clinical teams

? To support patients to make informed choices concerning their involvement in research.

? Ensure that written informed consent from a participant has always been obtained for any research taking place within the Trust.

? Maintain all data and case report forms relating to clinical trials in accordance with the regulatory and governance environment for NHS research.

? Report any deviation on research protocols to senior staff and implement agreed changes in care programme.

? To support studies that the R&D team identify require additional recruitment support

? As part of the Research and Delivery Team, you will also be expected to support the Bethlem Virtual Reality Cave.

About us

About us

Benefits:

We are committed to ensuring our staff get the most out of their benefits package and understand the importance of a healthy work life balance. There is an extensive range of excellent benefits for you and your family. We want you to feel like you are part of a close knit team at SLaM. It's important to us that you valued and appreciated and that are why we have a comprehensive benefits package on offer

Some of our benefits are highlighted here:

  • Generous pay, pensions and leave,we offer a comprehensive pay, pensions and leave package which is dependent on the role and length of service.
  • Work life balance,flexible working and support a range of flexible options, such as: part-time working and job sharing.
  • Career development,There are plenty of opportunities to progress your career and we support your development through a number of programmes such as mentoring, coaching, positive people management, collective leadership and other talent programmes
  • Car lease,our staff benefits from competitive deals to lease cars
  • Accommodation,our staff benefits fromkeyworker housing available which is available on selected sites
  • NHS discounts,with discounts up to 10% from a variety of well-known retail brands though Health Service Discounts website.

Other benefits include:

  • Counselling services
  • Wellbeing events
  • Long service awards
  • Cycle to work scheme
  • Season ticket loan
  • Childcare vouchers
  • Staff restaurants

Details

Date posted

09 May 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 5

Salary

£35,964 to £43,780 a year per annum inclusive of HCAS

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

334-NCL-7138453-TA

Job locations

Maudsley Hospital

Denmark Hill

London

SE8 5AZ


Job description

Job responsibilities

Duties and Responsibilities

Clinical:

Carry out planned care required by the clinical trials protocol for patients and volunteers without direct supervision

Responsible for screening and recruiting to clinical studies. This includes both randomised clinical trials and other high quality clinical studies. The role will involve working closely with multidisciplinary clinical teams

To support patients to make informed choices concerning their involvement in research.

Ensure that written informed consent from a participant has always been obtained for any research taking place within the Trust.

Maintain all data and case report forms relating to clinical trials in accordance with the regulatory and governance environment for NHS research.

Report any deviation on research protocols to senior staff and implement agreed changes in care programme.

To support studies that the R&D team identify require additional recruitment support

As part of the Research and Delivery Team, you will also be expected to support the Bethlem Virtual Reality Cave.

Management:

Required to use own initiative, take responsibility for decision-making and prioritise own workload within a team and individual context.

Works autonomously within the boundaries of own competencies and capabilities, seeking advice from Principal Investigator/ study team/R&D team as necessary.

Administration:

Maintain a safe environment in accordance with the Health and Safety at Work Act.

Assist in ensuring the availability of resources for participant care.

Maintain accurate documentation in clinical trial documents and patient notes and comply with Trust policies and procedures.

Ensure that clinical trials are effectively archived as required.

Communicate effectively at all times and maintain a harmonious working environment.

Ensure the economical use of resources.

Education and Training:

Assist in the education and support of health care professionals to enable them to care for clinical trial patients and recruit to clinical trials where appropriate.

Maintain an upto-date knowledge of research related topics, particularly related to clinical trials.

Assess the needs of participants, relatives and carers and provide them with information as requested.

Educate participants, family and those who volunteer for clinical trials before, during and after clinical studies and investigations.

Assist the R&D Nurse Manager in orientating all new staff to the department.

Other:

Understand and adhere to Trust policies and procedures.

Maintain patient confidentiality and standards of Good Clinical Practice (GCP) at all times.

There will be an expectation to work across Trust hospital sites and boroughs where appropriate.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Duties and Responsibilities

Clinical:

Carry out planned care required by the clinical trials protocol for patients and volunteers without direct supervision

Responsible for screening and recruiting to clinical studies. This includes both randomised clinical trials and other high quality clinical studies. The role will involve working closely with multidisciplinary clinical teams

To support patients to make informed choices concerning their involvement in research.

Ensure that written informed consent from a participant has always been obtained for any research taking place within the Trust.

Maintain all data and case report forms relating to clinical trials in accordance with the regulatory and governance environment for NHS research.

Report any deviation on research protocols to senior staff and implement agreed changes in care programme.

To support studies that the R&D team identify require additional recruitment support

As part of the Research and Delivery Team, you will also be expected to support the Bethlem Virtual Reality Cave.

Management:

Required to use own initiative, take responsibility for decision-making and prioritise own workload within a team and individual context.

Works autonomously within the boundaries of own competencies and capabilities, seeking advice from Principal Investigator/ study team/R&D team as necessary.

Administration:

Maintain a safe environment in accordance with the Health and Safety at Work Act.

Assist in ensuring the availability of resources for participant care.

Maintain accurate documentation in clinical trial documents and patient notes and comply with Trust policies and procedures.

Ensure that clinical trials are effectively archived as required.

Communicate effectively at all times and maintain a harmonious working environment.

Ensure the economical use of resources.

Education and Training:

Assist in the education and support of health care professionals to enable them to care for clinical trial patients and recruit to clinical trials where appropriate.

Maintain an upto-date knowledge of research related topics, particularly related to clinical trials.

Assess the needs of participants, relatives and carers and provide them with information as requested.

Educate participants, family and those who volunteer for clinical trials before, during and after clinical studies and investigations.

Assist the R&D Nurse Manager in orientating all new staff to the department.

Other:

Understand and adhere to Trust policies and procedures.

Maintain patient confidentiality and standards of Good Clinical Practice (GCP) at all times.

There will be an expectation to work across Trust hospital sites and boroughs where appropriate.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Degree qualification in relevant health sciences (e.g. psychology or sociology) (A)
  • Completion of GCP training in the last 2 years (A)
  • Clinical Research Practitioner Registration or working towards Registration (A)

Desirable

  • A degree or diploma with a substantial research component (A)
  • Higher degree/formal study of research design and methods in clinical or social settings (A)

Experience

Essential

  • Previous experience of working as part of a research team on NIHR Portfolio Studies and/or Commercial Clinical trials (A/I)
  • Knowledge of and clinical experience working within a mental health service (A/I)
  • Experience of data management and adherence to study protocols, including lone working (A/I)
  • Experience of conducting PPI and public engagement activities (A/I)
  • Experience conducting research at a clinical interface or within a randomised controlled trial (A/I)

Desirable

  • Current or recent experience of working with people with Serious Mental Illness (A)
  • Experience of conducting a systematic literature review including experience of using quality appraisal tools (A)
  • Experience in administering psychometric scales or willingness to train (A)

Knowledge/Skills

Essential

  • Familiar with CONSORT Guidelines for reporting clinical trials (A/I)
  • Excellent communication and interpersonal skills. (A/I)
  • Familiar with the Intervention Fidelity (IF) framework for the RCTs (A/I)
  • Highly motivated with the ability to work as part of a team and on an individual basis. (A/I)
  • Knowledge of research methods and statistical procedures (A/I)
  • Understands the research process and the application of research in the clinical governance agenda. (A/I)
  • Competence in standard PC packages (Word, Excel). (A/I)

Desirable

  • Commitment to obtain underpinning knowledge through work based learning (A/I)
  • Completing and scoring of research rating scales (A/I)

Other

Essential

  • Enthusiastic and dedicated to working towards organisational change to achieve our research and develop strategic ambitions (A/I)
  • Working in a mobile/agile way (A/I)
  • Transparency and honesty (A/I)
Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Degree qualification in relevant health sciences (e.g. psychology or sociology) (A)
  • Completion of GCP training in the last 2 years (A)
  • Clinical Research Practitioner Registration or working towards Registration (A)

Desirable

  • A degree or diploma with a substantial research component (A)
  • Higher degree/formal study of research design and methods in clinical or social settings (A)

Experience

Essential

  • Previous experience of working as part of a research team on NIHR Portfolio Studies and/or Commercial Clinical trials (A/I)
  • Knowledge of and clinical experience working within a mental health service (A/I)
  • Experience of data management and adherence to study protocols, including lone working (A/I)
  • Experience of conducting PPI and public engagement activities (A/I)
  • Experience conducting research at a clinical interface or within a randomised controlled trial (A/I)

Desirable

  • Current or recent experience of working with people with Serious Mental Illness (A)
  • Experience of conducting a systematic literature review including experience of using quality appraisal tools (A)
  • Experience in administering psychometric scales or willingness to train (A)

Knowledge/Skills

Essential

  • Familiar with CONSORT Guidelines for reporting clinical trials (A/I)
  • Excellent communication and interpersonal skills. (A/I)
  • Familiar with the Intervention Fidelity (IF) framework for the RCTs (A/I)
  • Highly motivated with the ability to work as part of a team and on an individual basis. (A/I)
  • Knowledge of research methods and statistical procedures (A/I)
  • Understands the research process and the application of research in the clinical governance agenda. (A/I)
  • Competence in standard PC packages (Word, Excel). (A/I)

Desirable

  • Commitment to obtain underpinning knowledge through work based learning (A/I)
  • Completing and scoring of research rating scales (A/I)

Other

Essential

  • Enthusiastic and dedicated to working towards organisational change to achieve our research and develop strategic ambitions (A/I)
  • Working in a mobile/agile way (A/I)
  • Transparency and honesty (A/I)

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

Employer details

Employer name

South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Maudsley Hospital

Denmark Hill

London

SE8 5AZ


Employer's website

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


Employer details

Employer name

South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Maudsley Hospital

Denmark Hill

London

SE8 5AZ


Employer's website

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


Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Head of Nursing for Research and Quality

Carrie-Ann Black

carrie-ann.black@slam.nhs.uk

Details

Date posted

09 May 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 5

Salary

£35,964 to £43,780 a year per annum inclusive of HCAS

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

334-NCL-7138453-TA

Job locations

Maudsley Hospital

Denmark Hill

London

SE8 5AZ


Supporting documents

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