Job summary
An exciting opportunity has arisen for a psychology graduate to join Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust as a Research Assistant on a randomised controlled trial of a new psychological intervention 'Structured Psychological Support (SPS) trial'. The post is fixed term for 12 months. We are looking for a candidate who is confident in working autonomously and who has experience of interviewing and/or working with people experiencing mental health problems. The successful applicant will be based in and managed by our Research and Development Department. You will also report to our Clinical Lead for the trial who is a Consultant Clinical Psychologist.
Main duties of the job
The post holder will be responsible for the delivery of a work on a National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) funded project, Assessing psychological support for people with emotional distress and difficulties in relationships: The SPS study.
The post holder will work collaboratively with the study Principal Investigator, research sponsor and clinical services to assist with the successful delivery of the study and achievement of local and national targets in relation to research performance.
The successful applicant will be accountable for ensuring that the research undertaken safeguards the well-being of the patients and is conducted within ICH Good Clinical Practice Guidelines for Research. The post holder will demonstrate an attitude which respects and values service users' and their carers
About us
Mersey Care is one of the largest trusts providing physical health and mental health services in the North West, serving more than 11 million people.
We offer specialist inpatient and community services that support physical and mental health and specialist inpatient mental health, learning disability, addiction and brain injury services. Mersey Care is one of only three trusts in the UK that offer high secure mental health facilities.
At the heart of all we do is our commitment to 'perfect care' - care that is safe, effective, positively experienced, timely, equitable and efficient. We support our staff to do the best job they can and work alongside service users, their families, and carers to design and develop future services together. We're currently delivering a programme of organisational and service transformation to significantly improve the quality of the services we provide and safely reduce cost as we do so.
We call this continuous improvement in quality and cost, 'striving for perfect care'. Our aim is to play a full part in the health and social care economies we serve, by promoting and driving greater integration between mental and physical health and social care.
Our clinical services are provided across a large part of the North West.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Main Duties and Responsibilities:
- Assist with the qualitative and quantitative data collection, input/cleansing, and analysis as per defined research protocols under direction and guidance.
- Meet with potential participants to explain the trial.
- Carry out clinical follow-up with participants on the trial.
- Provide information and support about the trial to clinical staff.
- Undertake the management of data relevant to designated projects. This may include setting up data files and conducting literature searches and reviews.
- Attend project-planning, operational, and steering group meetings as required.
- Assist in the preparation of any documentation and in feeding back information relating to the project to relevant parties.
- Provide administrative support in research meetings and complete any other administrative tasks directly associated with the identified research projects.
- Adhere to the appropriate ethical standards for research and protecting the confidential aspects of patients.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Main Duties and Responsibilities:
- Assist with the qualitative and quantitative data collection, input/cleansing, and analysis as per defined research protocols under direction and guidance.
- Meet with potential participants to explain the trial.
- Carry out clinical follow-up with participants on the trial.
- Provide information and support about the trial to clinical staff.
- Undertake the management of data relevant to designated projects. This may include setting up data files and conducting literature searches and reviews.
- Attend project-planning, operational, and steering group meetings as required.
- Assist in the preparation of any documentation and in feeding back information relating to the project to relevant parties.
- Provide administrative support in research meetings and complete any other administrative tasks directly associated with the identified research projects.
- Adhere to the appropriate ethical standards for research and protecting the confidential aspects of patients.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
Knowledge
Essential
- Experience of working with people with mental health difficulties
- Good awareness of a range of different mental illnesses
- Familiarity with undertaking structured and semi- structured interviewing
- Understanding of research governance and ethics
Desirable
- Familiarity with a range of research methods
- Experience of engaging different demographic groups in research
Values
Essential
- Continuous Improvement
- Accountability
- Respectfulness
- Enthusiasm
- Support
- High professional standards
- Responsive to service users
- Engaging leadership style
- Strong customer service belief
- Transparency and honesty
- Discreet
- Change oriented
Skills
Essential
- Ability to interview and perform assessments with service users in a safe, sympathetic and courteous manner
- Able to respond sensitively to emotional distress
- Be aware of stigma & discrimination of persons with mental health difficulties
- Demonstrable knowledge of confidentiality issues
- Demonstrable knowledge of patient and staff safety issues
- Ability to converse with internal & external services & able to accept & convey telephone messages in a precise & courteous manner
- Clear & unambiguous written communication skills
- Organisational & prioritisation skills
- Excellent data entry skills.
- Ability to use SPSS and EXCEL to perform basic statistical analysis
- Ability to use Microsoft Word to produce reports
- Ability to use PowerPoint to produce presentations
- Ability to file effectively
- Sufficiently adaptable to learn and use new technology
- Ability to travel across Trusts sites
- Willingness to adapt working hours to match the needs of the project
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
Knowledge
Essential
- Experience of working with people with mental health difficulties
- Good awareness of a range of different mental illnesses
- Familiarity with undertaking structured and semi- structured interviewing
- Understanding of research governance and ethics
Desirable
- Familiarity with a range of research methods
- Experience of engaging different demographic groups in research
Values
Essential
- Continuous Improvement
- Accountability
- Respectfulness
- Enthusiasm
- Support
- High professional standards
- Responsive to service users
- Engaging leadership style
- Strong customer service belief
- Transparency and honesty
- Discreet
- Change oriented
Skills
Essential
- Ability to interview and perform assessments with service users in a safe, sympathetic and courteous manner
- Able to respond sensitively to emotional distress
- Be aware of stigma & discrimination of persons with mental health difficulties
- Demonstrable knowledge of confidentiality issues
- Demonstrable knowledge of patient and staff safety issues
- Ability to converse with internal & external services & able to accept & convey telephone messages in a precise & courteous manner
- Clear & unambiguous written communication skills
- Organisational & prioritisation skills
- Excellent data entry skills.
- Ability to use SPSS and EXCEL to perform basic statistical analysis
- Ability to use Microsoft Word to produce reports
- Ability to use PowerPoint to produce presentations
- Ability to file effectively
- Sufficiently adaptable to learn and use new technology
- Ability to travel across Trusts sites
- Willingness to adapt working hours to match the needs of the project
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.
