Project Support Officer

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Band 3, Project Support Officer to join the research team at Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust supporting NIHR portfolio studies. This is a permanent opportunity.
The successful candidate will work with a team including a research nurses, clinicians, and academic staff at Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
The purpose of this post is to provide comprehensive support for research studies. The assistant will be expected to perform a variety of clerical/research duties within a research environment and in such a way as to make a direct and positive contribution to the organisation of the work within the RDI Department.
The successful candidate will work with a team including a research nurses, clinicians, and academic staff at Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust. At the moment there are a number of research studies being conducted at Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust. Cross site working, between Whiston, St Helens Hospital is essential and Southport and Ormskirk Hospitals when required., + Provide administrative and study support for research studies
+ Work closely with Research Nurses, PIs and research teams throughout the duration of a study to facilitate study progress, identifying barriers to successful recruitment and reporting these to RDI Data Manager.
+ Be point of contact for internal personnel and external organisations, resolving most queries independently or referring on to the most appropriate member of staff as appropriate.
+ Collect patient data from medical notes and complete both electronic and paper case report forms (CRF's), liaising with Research Nurse and clinicians to ensure correct data collection. Take responsibility for quality control, checking validity and completeness of the data.
+ Submit requested data to the Trial Centres, ensuring that all data is validated by the Research Nurse (when required) and that all data is processed, accurate and delivered within their target dates.
+ Liaise with all other departments within the hospital, i.e. wards, medical outpatient departments, medical records etc. with regard to all aspects of patient care, e.g. Appointments, investigations etc., + Provide administrative and study support for research studies
+ Work closely with Research Nurses, PIs and research teams throughout the duration of a study to facilitate study progress, identifying barriers to successful recruitment and reporting these to RDI Data Manager.
+ Be point of contact for internal personnel and external organisations, resolving most queries independently or referring on to the most appropriate member of staff as appropriate.
+ Collect patient data from medical notes and complete both electronic and paper case report forms (CRF's), liaising with Research Nurse and clinicians to ensure correct data collection. Take responsibility for quality control, checking validity and completeness of the data.
+ Submit requested data to the Trial Centres, ensuring that all data is validated by the Research Nurse (when required) and that all data is processed, accurate and delivered within their target dates.
+ Liaise with all other departments within the hospital, i.e. wards, medical outpatient departments, medical records etc. with regard to all aspects of patient care, e.g. Appointments, investigations etc.
+ To work on a daily basis with minimal supervision as part of the RDI team at Whiston Hospital, you may be required to work in other locations around MWL.
+ Retrieve patient data/medical records, investigation reports, etc.
+ Take action to obtain or correct missing or contradictory data while maintaining confidentiality.
+ Record/report patient recruitment on EDGE
+ Scan research documentation into EDMS
+ Support the Research Nurse in processing amendments for study site files, ensuring that appropriate approvals have been obtained, with support services being notified of any changes relevant to their area, and superseding all previous documentation
+ Contact research participants to arrange appointments with Investigator/Research Nurse as and when required by Research Nurses/Principal Investigators.
+ Create study specific screening/recruitment logs and ensure data uploaded by researcher/nurse on a regular basis.
+ Assist with close out of studies, including reporting, close out checklist and arranging appropriate archiving of documentation.
+ Arrange completion of Progress Reports/updates for reporting to RDI Support Officer as required.
+ Service formal meetings when required ensuring adequate facilities are booked in advance, IT Training, and refreshments. Prepare/distribute agendas in good time, produce accurate and timely minutes, record actions and progress through to completion.
+ Attend regular team meetings and provide regular updates and progress reports.
+ General office duties, including taking documents for signature, scanning, photocopying and maintenance of efficient filing systems.
+ Receive and redistribute stationery orders and supplies - logging items received and reporting discrepancies.
+ Deliver prescriptions to pharmacy and collect trial medication.
+ Collect process (including centrifugation, freezing, handling of dry ice) and arrange shipping of biological specimens according to protocol requirements.
+ Co-ordinate courier collections for blood samples and documents.
+ Undertake any other duties deemed relevant to the post and grade.
CLINICAL & PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES
+ Adhere to the RDI Standard Operating Procedures
+ Adhere to European Clinical Trials Directive, GCP (certificate renewal every 2 years), attending new training when certificate is due for renewal.
+ Adhere to the UK Policy Framework for Health and Social Care Research.
+ Demonstrate a continuous process of professional and personal development and maintain a high level of knowledge concerning research.
ADMINISTRATIVE RESPONSIBILITIES
+ To ensure that a system is in place to track and respond to correspondence in a timely manner.
+ Be responsible for ensuring accurate and timely compliance with internal and external requests for information e.g. clinical trials teams, and sponsors.
+ To maintain e-mail and diary management to ensure the smooth running of the department e.g. correspondence with trial centres, planning patient appointments, follow up of care and liaise with the Research Nurses.
TEACHING & TRAINING RESPONSIBILITIES
+ To maintain a level of training and competency commensurate for the role according to Good Clinical Practice guidelines.
+ Participate in an annual individual performance review.
+ To conform to established policies, codes of practice and Standard Operating Procedures within the Department.
+ To adhere to all established Trust policies and to adhere to all current legislation and DH guidelines.
+ Attend regular team meetings and provide regular updates and progress reports
+ Demonstrate a continuous process of professional and personal development and maintain a high level of knowledge concerning clinical research.
Transitional arrangements are in place for EU,EEA and Swiss Citizens following the UK's withdrawal from the EU. Should this apply to you, you are advised to familiarise yourself with these arrangements to ensure you continue to have right to work in the UK and how to evidence that right in the future. Please see the document attached to this vacancy. This requirement does not apply to Irish citizens, who can continue to freely enter, live and work in the UK.
The Trust is a non-smoking site. Failure to follow this rule could lead to disciplinary action.
Please be aware, that we may close a vacancy earlier than stated, should a sufficient number of applications be received from which a shortlist can be confirmed therefore you are advised to apply at your earliest convenience. The Trust may contact you during the recruitment process for your feedback on your experience.
We actively cultivate a professional environment of fairness, equality, dignity, and respect for all individuals. We welcome individuals from all backgrounds and value the unique skills, perspective and experience you bring. We are grounded in the belief that diversity enhances our collective strength, fostering innovation and excellence within our workforce.
As a Disability Confident Leader, we commit to offering an interview to all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the job (the essential criteria) listed in the personal specification. If you wish to apply under this Guaranteed Interview Scheme, please indicate this on the online application form.
If you are having difficulty completing an online application, or require any disability reasonable adjustments, to the application process, please contact [email protected]
We also commit to offering an interview to all armed forces veterans who meet the minimum criteria for the job (the essential criteria) listed in the personal specification. If you wish to apply under this Guaranteed Interview Scheme, please indicate this on the online application form.
The Trust operates anonymous shortlisting where no personal information about you, including your name or personal details are shared with the recruiting manager. No equality information is shared at any time during the recruitment process with the recruiting manager or other people involved in the decision making process.
The equality monitoring information you provide is used in the following situations: to review our recruitment practices; where a job is limited to a specific person to verify their eligibility to apply; and to offer disability reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process.
Changes have been made to the NHS Terms and Conditions of Service Handbook which mean that:
+ All employees have the right to request flexible working from day one of employment.
+ There is no limit on the number of requests they can make.
+ Employees have the right to make requests, have them considered, regardless of the reason.
At Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, we will consider requests for flexible working.
Please be advised that the use of Artificial Intelligence on applications is monitored and if you choose to use this, you must declare this on your application form.

Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust serves a population of over 600,000 with a workforce of over 9000 dedicated and skilled staff across 21 sites.
We strongly believe that the communities we serve should all have access to Five Star Patient Care.
Our Services:
Acute Care
Providing emergency and maternity services at Whiston, Southport and Ormskirk hospitals, and medical and surgical specialties across all our sites.
Primary Care
Providing primary care services at Marshalls Cross Medical Centre situated in St Helens Hospital.
Community Services
Providing adult community services for St Helens and a wheelchair service in Chorley, South Ribble, and West Lancashire. Our inpatient unit at Newton Community Hospital is where patients needing acute hospital beds can continue rehabilitation, freeing up space for more unwell patients. We also provide urgent care at our Urgent Treatment Centre located in St Helens town centre.
Specialist Regional Services
We provide the Mersey Regional Burns & Plastic Surgery Unit at Whiston Hospital and the Spinal Injuries Unit at Southport Hospital to more than 4 million people across the whole of Merseyside, West Lancashire, Cheshire, Isle of Man and North Wales.
Achievements:
+ Rated Outstanding by CQC Inspection August 2018
+ Top 100 places to work in the NHS (NHS Employers & Health Service Journal)
+ National Preceptorship Accreditation (2023) for Nursing & AHP Preceptorship Programme