Research Assistant

Job summary

Research Assistant (BAND 5; 1.0 WTE; Fixed Term: 1 year in first instance)

Stigma and discrimination can have a serious impact on the wellbeing of people who experience psychosis and can impact personal recovery. Peer-delivered interventions that are designed to support people with psychosis who have been personally impacted by stigma show promise, but to date most trials have been small and have focussed on feasibility rather than efficacy of the peer interventions. Following the success of our NIHR funded feasibility trial, Let's Talk 1, the Let's Talk 2 Trial has now been funded by the NIHR through the Efficacy and Mechanisms Evaluation (EME) programme. The Let's Talk 2 trial is a 32-month randomised controlled trial, jointly led by Professor Tony Morrison and Dr Melissa Pyle at the Psychosis Research Unit. We aim to evaluate the possible benefits of a peer-delivered intervention called Let's Talk which aims to aid mental health disclosure decision making. Our four NHS sites are led by experts in the field of Psychosis and Psychosis Research, Peer Support and Stigma and Discrimination research. Dr Lisa Wood is the site lead for NELFT.

The successful applicant will be part of this national and international team and will gain high quality training in the field of psychosis and stigma research, be trained in the delivery of semi-structed psychosocial assessments and have the opportunity to work within a clinical trial that will advance the field of stigma research.

Main duties of the job

We are seeking to appoint a research assistant to work on the Let's Talk 2 Trial. The post is primarily responsible for liaison with clinical services and voluntary services across the footprint of the Trust to raise the profile of the study and aid recruitment of trial participants, conducting semi-structed interview assessments and administering other psychometric questionnaires with people with experience of psychosis and who report internalised stigma. The posts will be for a fixed term of 12 months initially.

You will have a good first degree (at least a 2:1). You will have some experience of working in a mental health setting, and an interest in psychosis/bipolar disorder and knowledge of audit, research design and data analysis is also essential. Experience of using a structured psychiatric interview would be advantageous.

About us

Starting with NELFT

NELFT place a great deal of importance on new starters being properly welcomed and inducted into the Trust. All new starters will join the Trust on the first Monday of each month and will undertake a comprehensive induction of up to two weeks which will include mandatory training, systems training and the allocation of equipment. As part of the process new starters will have the opportunity to also meet the executive team, senior managers and attend a number of drop in sessions focussing in engagement, health and wellbeing and key processes. The induction will be held at our head office in Rainham, Essex.

Probationary Period

This post will be subject to a probationary period. Internal applicants are exempt from the probationary period (unless you are an internal applicant currently part way through a probationary period or currently a bank member of staff).

High Cost Area Supplement

This post also attracts payment for High Cost Area Supplement of 15% of the basic salary (with a minimum of £4,714 to a maximum of £5,941).

Employer details

Employer name

NELFT North East London Foundation Trust

Address

Goodmayes Hospital

Ilford

IG3 8XJ

Employer's website

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

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Employer details

Employer name

NELFT North East London Foundation Trust

Address

Goodmayes Hospital

Ilford

IG3 8XJ

Employer's website

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

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