Job overview
The research delivery workforce is a vital resource; their skills and expertise ensure that patients and the economy benefit from a vibrant research culture as an integral part of health and care for all. The research delivery team are involved in a range of activities, including:
- Seeking ongoing informed consent as a voluntary agreement with research study participants, ensuring their understanding of the research and its risks
- Identification, screening, and randomisation of research study participants
- Ensuring high quality data input at source and its management through a research workflow
Clinical Studies Assistants are a core part of the research delivery workforce that specialise in consent, data collection, and other study protocol activities. This is a varied role involving work across multiple studies, services, and teams. Postholders will be expected to spend a minimum of 40% of time on site, either across services or at their designated base.
The post-holder will be responsible for liaising with busy clinicians, identifying and recruiting service users into a portfolio of studies to meet targets within agreed timelines, conducting baseline assessments, and maintaining accurate site files and case report files. They will also provide additional support to study teams when necessary and actively promote research among clinicians, service users, and the wider NHS community.
Main duties of the job
The purpose of this post is to increase the number of people participating in research studies ELFT, by:
- 1) Assisting clinical teams and NHS services in identifying and recruiting participants in research studies, including service users, carers, and staff 2) Providing information and support for patients, carers and staff enrolling in research projects 3) Facilitating delivery of study procedures in line with the study protocol, performing baseline assessments of study participants 4) Assisting the efficient set up and delivery of studies within ELFT, thus contributing to the performance metrics set for the Trust by the Regional RDN.
Contributing to the development of a culture within the Trust where research is actively promoted at all levels.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Person specification
Other
Essential
- • Solution-focused approach to challenges.
- • Ability to work under pressure and independently while being an effective team member.
- • Strong time management skills, including workload prioritization.
- • Willingness to undergo necessary training to support the study portfolio.
- • Commitment to work in-person a minimum of 40% of the time.
- • Ability to travel independently for research visits, including to patients’ homes or offsite locations.
- • Commitment to personal and professional development.
Desirable
- • Adaptable working hours to meet project needs
Experience
Essential
- • Experience in health or social care settings with direct service user contact, ideally within the NHS.
- • Delivering face-to-face and remote healthcare or research activities, including participant recruitment.
- • Familiarity with mental health or community care services and patients
Desirable
- • Managing qualitative and quantitative data.
- • Engaging diverse demographic groups.
Knowledge and Skills
Essential
- • Familiarity with a range of mental illnesses.
- • Basic understanding of research methodology and participant recruitment strategies.
- • Excellent interpersonal skills, demonstrating listening with empathy, compassion, and patience.
- • Ability to engage with busy clinicians and service users.
- • Ability to communicate study information clearly to clinicians and service users.
- • Understanding of informed consent processes.
- • Ability or willingness to be trained in phlebotomy.
- • Capable of maintaining accurate study files and service user Case Report Forms.
Desirable
- • Understanding of research governance and ethics.
Education/ Qualification/ Training
Essential
- • Undergraduate degree (2:1 or above) in psychology, healthcare, nursing, social sciences, or a related discipline.
Desirable
- • ICH-GCP Training (Good Clinical Practice).
- • Postgraduate qualification in health and social care, or related social sciences field.
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Applying for this NHS job
This advert is for Clinical Studies Assistant/Research nurse with East London NHS Foundation Trust in London, London, England. It is listed as a Band 5 Healthcare support worker role. The advertised salary is £38,488 - £46,852 Per Annum (pro rata if Part Time) inc HCA. The contract type is 12 months (Fixed term until 31/06/2027). The application deadline is 05 Jul 2026.
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