Band 5 R&D Research Assistant - Lets Talk 2

Job overview

AWP Trust is pleased to offer this very exciting opportunity to join a Multi-Centre research team for a trial called Lets Talk 2.

This is a initially full time 12 month fixed term contract (37.5 hours per week) starting in October 2025.

The Let’s Talk 2 trial is a 32-month randomised controlled trial, jointly led by The Psychosis Research Unit at GMMH NHS. Let’s Talk 2 builds on the success of Lets Talk 1 and their track record of collaborative research on psychosocial interventions for people with experience of psychosis by evaluating the possible benefits of a peer-delivered intervention called Let’s Talk which aims to aid mental health disclosure decision making. The study will compare the Let’s Talk peer-delivered intervention to standard care from Early Intervention in Psychosis Services and Community Mental Health Teams.

The study will be conducted across four areas in the UK including here at Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust (AWP).

You should have a good first degree in Psychology (at least a 2:1); some experience of working in a mental health setting as an assistant psychologist or research assistant; 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.

Main duties of the job

You will be part of the Let’s Talk 2 trial Team in AWP, responsible for liaison with clinical services and voluntary services across the entire footprint of the Trust spanning 6 localities and 100 sites. You will be expected 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.

Full training will be provided by the GMMH Let’s Talk 2 Trial Team. Most importantly, you will need to be enthusiastic about the research area and have a high level of motivation and commitment.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

To deliver research aspects of the trial including;

• Set-up and close down of the trial
• To contribute to the screening and recruitment of patients with psychosis and young people at ultra-high risk of psychosis. This will involve speaking to referrers regularly, attending clinical team meetings, visiting community mental health teams and hospital wards. There are monthly recruitment targets.
• Completing eligibility screening assessments and seeking informed consent
• Arranging and carrying out assessments for the trials, on a range of measures at various time points
• Produce regular reports on recruitment targets and process (including managing the recruitment database) and assessments
• Travel across the large geographical area both to clinical teams and patient homes, which would be facilitated by having valid driving licence, and access to own or other independent means of transport.
• Good record-keeping and ensuring the site file is compliant with GCP, in line with trial and Trust protocols
• Administrative duties related to the project, including regularly entering and checking data in the study databases
• Other duties appropriate to the grade as directed by the grant-holders.
• Attendance at supervision will be expected, and at appropriate research team meetings, including at the lead site (GMMH)
• Will need to work some irregular hours occasionally to fit with patient availability
• Work within the guidelines set out by the Data Protection Act, the Code of Ethics, and with full understanding of confidentiality issues
• You will need to follow standard operational procedures for the trial and NHS Trust policy regarding safeguarding of vulnerable adults and children.
• Contribute towards consistent and safe practices by being aware of and adhering to all the relevant Trust policies and procedures.