Research Fellow in Health Services Research

COVID-19 has resulted in the rapid and widespread adoption of remote consultations, particularly in primary care. Before the pandemic, only a minority of general practices used doctor-led remote triage as the access point for services; within weeks, nearly all were doing so. Timely access to locally available clinical support when peoples' health needs have exceeded the scope of self-care and community pharmacy is essential to maintaining individual well-being. This is a critical factor in levelling up to address the health disparities within our society. Access to GP-led services also impacts the capacity and need for hospital-based care (such as A&E)., In line with our commitment to inclusion and diversity, we are proud to be working towards the Race Equality Charter (REC), which helps us address and reduce barriers that disproportionately affect B.A.M.E. staff. We are also a Stonewall Diversity Champion, ensuring that all LGBTQ+ people are valued and respected at work. Additionally, we participate in the Disability Confident Scheme to support our efforts to improve the workplace experience for disabled individuals.

The University has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK.

We wish to appoint an experienced researcher to work on a pioneering new project funded by the Bedfordshire, Luton, and Milton Keynes (BLMK) Integrated Care System Research and Innovation Hub., The successful candidate will have a PhD or Master's in a health-related topic and an interest in health services research. They should possess strong qualitative skills and an understanding of healthcare research and evaluation methods with underserved populations.

The post holder will manage the day-to-day running of the project according to agreed protocols and undertake administrative duties as needed. The successful candidate will also lead the qualitative fieldwork of this project, including designing research instruments to generate data to meet the research objectives. Therefore, experience in qualitative data collection and analysis is essential.

The post holder will also need to build and maintain effective working relationships with key internal and external stakeholders, including colleagues, relevant public sector organisations, and professional membership bodies, and share information at formal public events and through informal and formal networks. Excellent communication, interpersonal and organisational skills will be essential.