Job summary
At BrisDoc, we've been delivering "patient care, by people who care" for over twenty years, providing high-quality NHS services across GP practices, urgent care and specialist community health services. As a Social Enterprise and Employee-Owned Organisation, we put people and communities at the heart of everything we do.
We are now establishing a more coordinated, community-centred research function to widen access to research, strengthen evidence-informed care and ensure our diverse populations help shape the studies we deliver.
This new Research Lead role has been created through funding from the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), enabling us to build the processes, partnerships and culture needed to embed high-quality research across BrisDoc.
Main duties of the job
The Research Lead will sit as part of BrisDoc's Extended Leadership Team and will provide strategic oversight of research activity across the organisation. Although the role offers a high level of autonomy and professional leadership, it remains accountable to the Director of Nursing, Allied Health Professionals and Governance, who is the formal decision-maker for research governance matters, including approval of studies and acceptance of risks.
The Research Lead's responsibilities focus on advising, coordinating and shaping BrisDoc's approach to research, rather than holding statutory or clinical accountability. They will recommend opportunities, highlight risks and support services to carry out research safely, while decisions relating to governance, finance and clinical matters remain with the appropriate accountable officers. The postholder provides strategic insight and day-to-day coordination whilst working within established governance structures.
About us
BrisDoc is a proud provider of NHS Healthcare. We have been delivering 'patient care, by people who care' for over twenty years.
We run an exciting range of Primary Care Services, including an Urgent Care Service, GP Practices, and the Homeless Health Service. This enables BrisDoc to offer excellent healthcare 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to over one million people across Bristol, North Somerset and South Glos.
We're a Social Enterprise and an Employee-Owned Business. This means the decisions we make are for the good of our patients, workforce, and wider community. This involves prioritising the health of our patients, protecting our environment, and improving the social and economic status of our population. Our 'Community Fund' is a staff lead team who work closely with health-based charitable causes, both local and international, to invest time and money in improving the lives of people in disadvantaged communities.
By joining BrisDoc, you will be part of an innovative organisation that prides ourselves on being a fantastic place to work; somewhere that you will feel valued, supported, developed and part of a family. We strive to make sure every member of the team feels proud of the work they do and the service that we offer.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Internal relationships
- Director of Nursing, Allied Health Professionals and Governance (line manager and formal decisionmaker for research governance).
- Service Leads, Heads of Service and Clinical Leads across BrisDocs primary care, community and urgent care services.
- Quality and governance teams who support organisational oversight and reporting.
- Information governance and data colleagues who advise on data protection, confidentiality and information handling.
- Practice management teams involved in the operational delivery of studies.
- Staff representatives, coowners and patient or carer groups involved in coproduction and community engagement.
External relationships
- Universities and academic research groups supporting study design, delivery or collaboration.
- Health and care partners across the wider system involved in joint research activity or shared priorities.
- Community and voluntary sector organisations involved in outreach and engagement with underserved groups.
- Research sponsors and study coordination teams responsible for oversight, monitoring and study requirements.
- Other external partners as appropriate
Strategic and Operational Leadership
In this role, the postholder will:
Help develop, implement and maintain BrisDocs research governance processes and simple, workable procedures that support safe and consistent practice.
Shape and support an organisational approach to research that reflects the needs of all BrisDoc services and helps create a joinedup way of working.
Promote a culture that values learning, curiosity and evidenceinformed practice, and encourage colleagues to see research as part of everyday improvement.
Support the development of a longerterm, communitybased research model, including the potential for local research hubs within BrisDocs Practices.
Represent BrisDoc in discussions with external partners, sharing information, identifying opportunities and bringing back insight to inform internal decisionmaking.
Coordinate the practical steps required to deliver any contractual requirements linked to approved research activity, making sure responsibilities are met and escalating any issues when needed.
Research Delivery and Portfolio Management
The postholder will:
Support the early steps of study initiation, including feasibility work, discussions about resources and costings, and the planning of safe and appropriate data flows.
Help teams follow the required governance, ethical and data protection standards by coordinating documentation, training and audit activity and by escalating any concerns to the appropriate decisionmaker.
Coordinate the delivery of BrisDocs initial research projects, making sure they are carried out safely, handled in line with agreed protocols and managed with care for confidentiality and data quality.
Contribute to the development of a growing pipeline of research opportunities over time, working with services and external partners to identify studies that fit BrisDocs priorities and capacity.
Track progress and prepare clear, evidencebased updates on research activity, impact and performance for BrisDocs internal governance groups and, where needed, external partners.
Training, Capability and Workforce Development
In this role, the postholder will:
- Help strengthen BrisDocs research capability by supporting staff to access the training they need, including training in ethical research practice and the safe handling of information.
- Provide subjectmatter advice, technical guidance and practical coaching to colleagues involved in planning or delivering research.
- Contribute to building BrisDocs longerterm capacity to deliver highquality, sustainable research by supporting a learning culture and encouraging confidence in research across teams.
FirstYear Expectations
During the first year in post, the Research Lead is expected to:
- Help introduce clear and practical research processes that can be used consistently across BrisDoc services.
- Support the safe setup and delivery of BrisDocs first research studies.
- Build early relationships with external partners and bring forward opportunities that support BrisDocs priorities.
- Develop a simple framework for research governance that fits BrisDocs capacity and ways of working.
- Begin shaping an emerging pipeline of research opportunities.
- Support staff to access essential research training and grow confidence in research activities.
- Gather early learning from initial studies to inform the longerterm approach.
Success will be reflected through:
- Safe, wellcoordinated research activity meeting required standards.
- Strong working relationships with external partners that support appropriate research opportunities.
- Increased access to research for underrepresented groups.
- Growing confidence and capability among BrisDoc staff.
- Positive feedback from teams, coowners, patients and external partners.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Internal relationships
- Director of Nursing, Allied Health Professionals and Governance (line manager and formal decisionmaker for research governance).
- Service Leads, Heads of Service and Clinical Leads across BrisDocs primary care, community and urgent care services.
- Quality and governance teams who support organisational oversight and reporting.
- Information governance and data colleagues who advise on data protection, confidentiality and information handling.
- Practice management teams involved in the operational delivery of studies.
- Staff representatives, coowners and patient or carer groups involved in coproduction and community engagement.
External relationships
- Universities and academic research groups supporting study design, delivery or collaboration.
- Health and care partners across the wider system involved in joint research activity or shared priorities.
- Community and voluntary sector organisations involved in outreach and engagement with underserved groups.
- Research sponsors and study coordination teams responsible for oversight, monitoring and study requirements.
- Other external partners as appropriate
Strategic and Operational Leadership
In this role, the postholder will:
Help develop, implement and maintain BrisDocs research governance processes and simple, workable procedures that support safe and consistent practice.
Shape and support an organisational approach to research that reflects the needs of all BrisDoc services and helps create a joinedup way of working.
Promote a culture that values learning, curiosity and evidenceinformed practice, and encourage colleagues to see research as part of everyday improvement.
Support the development of a longerterm, communitybased research model, including the potential for local research hubs within BrisDocs Practices.
Represent BrisDoc in discussions with external partners, sharing information, identifying opportunities and bringing back insight to inform internal decisionmaking.
Coordinate the practical steps required to deliver any contractual requirements linked to approved research activity, making sure responsibilities are met and escalating any issues when needed.
Research Delivery and Portfolio Management
The postholder will:
Support the early steps of study initiation, including feasibility work, discussions about resources and costings, and the planning of safe and appropriate data flows.
Help teams follow the required governance, ethical and data protection standards by coordinating documentation, training and audit activity and by escalating any concerns to the appropriate decisionmaker.
Coordinate the delivery of BrisDocs initial research projects, making sure they are carried out safely, handled in line with agreed protocols and managed with care for confidentiality and data quality.
Contribute to the development of a growing pipeline of research opportunities over time, working with services and external partners to identify studies that fit BrisDocs priorities and capacity.
Track progress and prepare clear, evidencebased updates on research activity, impact and performance for BrisDocs internal governance groups and, where needed, external partners.
Training, Capability and Workforce Development
In this role, the postholder will:
- Help strengthen BrisDocs research capability by supporting staff to access the training they need, including training in ethical research practice and the safe handling of information.
- Provide subjectmatter advice, technical guidance and practical coaching to colleagues involved in planning or delivering research.
- Contribute to building BrisDocs longerterm capacity to deliver highquality, sustainable research by supporting a learning culture and encouraging confidence in research across teams.
FirstYear Expectations
During the first year in post, the Research Lead is expected to:
- Help introduce clear and practical research processes that can be used consistently across BrisDoc services.
- Support the safe setup and delivery of BrisDocs first research studies.
- Build early relationships with external partners and bring forward opportunities that support BrisDocs priorities.
- Develop a simple framework for research governance that fits BrisDocs capacity and ways of working.
- Begin shaping an emerging pipeline of research opportunities.
- Support staff to access essential research training and grow confidence in research activities.
- Gather early learning from initial studies to inform the longerterm approach.
Success will be reflected through:
- Safe, wellcoordinated research activity meeting required standards.
- Strong working relationships with external partners that support appropriate research opportunities.
- Increased access to research for underrepresented groups.
- Growing confidence and capability among BrisDoc staff.
- Positive feedback from teams, coowners, patients and external partners.
Person Specification
Qualifications, knowledge and experience
Essential
- Educated to degree level or able to demonstrate equivalent experience in a relevant field such as health research, biomedical or life sciences, public health, social sciences or a related discipline.
- A strong understanding of the requirements that govern research in health and care settings, including ethical standards, data protection, confidentiality and information handling expectations or be able to develop this quickly
- Experience supporting the feasibility, set-up and delivery of research studies in a health, academic, community or voluntary sector environment.
- Ability to design, implement and embed clear processes and procedures that support safe, consistent and well-organised research delivery
- Excellent interpersonal and influencing skills, with confidence working across different professional groups and engaging with colleagues at all levels
- Strong analytical and organisational abilities, with the capacity to interpret complex information, manage competing priorities and make sound, evidence-informed recommendations.
- A clear commitment to equity, inclusion and widening access to research for people and communities who are often under-represented.
- Confident using digital tools, including Microsoft 365 applications and relevant systems used to support research activity.
Desirable
- Experience of working in primary care, inclusion health, homelessness health or community based services.
- Experience of working with both clinical and non clinical colleagues in a multidisciplinary environment.
- Experience collaborating with external research partners such as academic institutions, health and care partners or research delivery organisations.
- Understanding of how data is recorded and managed within clinical systems, including experience supporting feasibility or data extraction
- Experience contributing to research costings, income processes or study reporting requirements.
- Postgraduate study in research, public health, leadership, evaluation or project management.
- Experience involving people with lived experience and diverse communities in research or service improvement.
Person Specification
Qualifications, knowledge and experience
Essential
- Educated to degree level or able to demonstrate equivalent experience in a relevant field such as health research, biomedical or life sciences, public health, social sciences or a related discipline.
- A strong understanding of the requirements that govern research in health and care settings, including ethical standards, data protection, confidentiality and information handling expectations or be able to develop this quickly
- Experience supporting the feasibility, set-up and delivery of research studies in a health, academic, community or voluntary sector environment.
- Ability to design, implement and embed clear processes and procedures that support safe, consistent and well-organised research delivery
- Excellent interpersonal and influencing skills, with confidence working across different professional groups and engaging with colleagues at all levels
- Strong analytical and organisational abilities, with the capacity to interpret complex information, manage competing priorities and make sound, evidence-informed recommendations.
- A clear commitment to equity, inclusion and widening access to research for people and communities who are often under-represented.
- Confident using digital tools, including Microsoft 365 applications and relevant systems used to support research activity.
Desirable
- Experience of working in primary care, inclusion health, homelessness health or community based services.
- Experience of working with both clinical and non clinical colleagues in a multidisciplinary environment.
- Experience collaborating with external research partners such as academic institutions, health and care partners or research delivery organisations.
- Understanding of how data is recorded and managed within clinical systems, including experience supporting feasibility or data extraction
- Experience contributing to research costings, income processes or study reporting requirements.
- Postgraduate study in research, public health, leadership, evaluation or project management.
- Experience involving people with lived experience and diverse communities in research or service improvement.
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.
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.
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).
