Research Assistant

We are seeking an enthusiastic and highly motivated individual to join us in ensuring our service users, carers and staff and members of the public are given opportunities to take part in research projects. We are dedicated to generating high quality, innovative research into mental health, learning disabilities and neurodiversity and what we do changes lives across the UK

This role combines direct research delivery and data entry. Undertaking protocol directed rating scales, direct and indirect structured observations and semi structured interviews with service users, family members and community members. All data collection activity is completed according to Good Clinical Practice (GCP), ensuring that protocol and standard operating procedures are followed. Taking blood is becoming an increasing feature of the research we support investigating Bio Markers accompanied by data screening, therefore a willingness to complete training in these skills will be required.

The post holder will be required to support the direct delivery of research activity to participants across the Trusts geography. Travel from various locations including Trust sites and participants homes. The role is one that calls for both team and lone working, making effective verbal and written communication a core function of the role.

Main duties of the job

Using our specialist expertise, unique population and a collaborative approach, we bridge boundaries, provide hope, and we're actively shaping the future of mental health care. The successful candidate will also contribute towards the departments objective to develop and deliver high quality research for the communities we serve, delivering research across a broad range of service areas.

The main tasks will be to increase participation of NHS staff, service users and carers in National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) portfolio studies. Studies may be led by clinicians, a variety of Universities across the country or commercial research organisations. Tasks may involve screening participants for eligibility, data collection such as completing psychometric measures, or interviews with participants and ensuring the studies meet their local recruitment to time and target goals.

The Research Assistant may also be assigned other duties in connection with research projects identified by the Clinical Studies Officers (CSO), Research Programme Manager (RPM), and the Yorkshire & Humber Clinical Research Network., The Research Assistant will be required to verbally communicate study information to potential participants (service users, carers or staff), both face to face and via telephone, in order for them to provide informed consent to participate. The role requires the collection of data from participants, sometimes including lengthy (2-3 hours) and complex clinical assessments. The Research Assistant will be expected to work on multiple different NIHR studies at any given time.

Studies may require Research Assistants to take blood, therefore Phlebotomy training or willingness to attend this training will be required where appropriate.

The post holder will be required to work on their own initiative in a range of situations and lone work on research visits. They will be required to assess factors such as participant eligibility for studies from clinical information and assess mental capacity. They will need to problem solve within the parameters of the protocol in areas such as low recruitment, dis-engagement, loss of follow up, withdrawal etc.

The research assistant will contribute to working with national study teams to ensure studies are run effectively at local level. This will include ensuring studies run to time and target by identifying, recruiting and supporting participants with support from the CSO, ensuring all local data is accurate and up to date, and being a main point of contact for national study teams, providing regular updates as required.

The post holder will be required to drive or travel to other Trust sites and participants' homes for visits, and to conferences, meetings and training in other parts of Yorkshire and nationally.

A large proportion of time will be spent working at a computer using standard keyboard skills, MS programmes such as Word, Excel, and various data entry programmes. The successful candidate will be required to keep a complete and accurate record of each participant entering a study and ensure this is correctly mapped within the local and national research databases to the recruiting site.

The post holder will be responsible for the collection and storage of data, data entry, reporting to the study team, completing Clinical Research Forms and answering any data queries. These tasks must be completed in line with Good Clinical Practice, information governance procedures and General Data Protection Regulations.

• Educated to degree level, 2.1 or above in health-related discipline (e.g. psychology, nursing, social sciences) or equivalent experience, Knowledge of the mental health field, by training, education or experience


• An understanding of research process and methodologies


Working effectively across different groups

Essential criteria


• Ability to work effectively with the different groups of people eg Service users and carers, multidisciplinary staff, staff in other Trusts and Universities, Ability to travel independently
  
  The Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (LYPFT) is the main provider of Mental Health and Learning Disability services in Leeds. We also provide specialist inpatient services in York and some highly specialised services across the country. As a teaching trust with strong links to local universities, we are a centre of excellence for teaching, research and development.
  
  There are many benefits of working for LYPFT including fantastic employee wellbeing support, 27 - 33 days annual leave, flexible working and remote working arrangements, the NHS Pension Scheme, coaching, support and opportunities for career development and training and education support alongside a range of exclusive discounts and payment schemes including for cars, extra leave days and more NHS Discount Offers.


We also have an incredible bank department, offering variety of roles in nursing, allied health professions, healthcare support worker and administration clerical. Permanent employees are automatically added to bank.

Applicants should be aware that for any individual who requires a visa to work in the UK, the Trust provides sponsorship for registered healthcare practitioner roles only. This is an essential requirement of the role, and the Trust is unable to offer you a role if you are unable to meet Trust requirements for sponsorship and Home Office requirements for a visa.