Research Assistant (MEND-P)

Job overview

This is a unique opportunity for an enthusiastic and compassionate Research Assistant to contribute to an innovative project funded by the Maudsley Charity. Mend-P is designed to improve menopause-related knowledge, support, and access to care for women living with psychosis in SLaM community settings through peer support groups.

As the Research Assistant, you will play a central role in supporting the delivery the MEND-P intervention. You will support the delivery structured menopause education, working alongside a Research Assistant and a Peer Support Worker with lived experience of menopause to provide a safe, supportive, and empowering environment for participants. Training and ongoing support will be provided to enable you to deliver the intervention.

Main duties of the job

As part of the MEND-P Team, you will contribute to address the significant inequalities experienced by women with severe mental illness during the menopause transition. The project will involve the delivery of facilitated peer-support groups, coordination with peer-support workers and clinical teams, contribution to co-produced educational materials, and collection of feasibility and outcome data.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Key activities and responsibilities

• To support the set-up and delivery of the study within the Trust.
• To develop effective contacts with relevant stakeholders.
• To ensure service users are provided with written information relevant to the study and are given the opportunity to discuss the research adequately at the outset and during the course of the research in which they are being asked to participate.
• To recruit and consent service users into the trial.
• To administer standardised outcome measures and extract data from patient notes for quantitative/qualitative analysis.
• To maintain accurate service user trial documentation, complete Case Report Forms, including the use of electronic data capture systems and ensure relevant information is recorded in service users’ medical notes.
• To support the coordination of all study activities in accordance with the research protocol.
• To attend and support service users in the clinical environment for monitoring, assessment and follow up as part of the research project. This includes carrying out screening, recruitment, and assessment of patients for the purposes of research.
• To record and report any Adverse Events and Serious Adverse Events according to trial protocol and local procedures.
• To provide information/reports on recruitment as requested by the Principal Investigator and the study management team.
• To make regular contact with clinicians supporting the trial to increase recruitment.
• To work at all times according to International Conference on Harmonisation Good Clinical Practice Guideline (ICH GCP).
• To ensure that any data collection and information governance is conducted according to specific research protocols (in liaison with the research teams) and adheres to the Data Protection Act 2018 and according to Good Clinical Practice guidelines.
• To maintain the highest standards of record keeping and report writing.
• To liaise with service users and clinical staff in order to provide them with an understanding of clinical research ethics in practice.

Applicant requirements

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.