Research Assistant

Job overview

In this exciting role, the post holder will travel to mental health clinics throughout Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust (CPFT) to discuss the QUEST trial with community mental health service users, and recruit patients with a diagnosis of borderline personality disorder.

The post holder will collect data for the project in clinics or participant homes, involving the Zanarini Rating Scale for Borderline Personality Disorder (ZAN-BPD), Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-V Personality Disorders (SCID-5-PD) and a range of other measures. Full training will be provided. Maintaining good working relationships with service users, carers, clinic staff and other stakeholders will be key to the success of the project.

The successful candidate should be organised, capable of independent work, with strong interpersonal skills and a good awareness of mental health difficulties. The post-holder will be based in the CPFT R and D department, working alongside a vibrant research team. The post holder will work collaboratively and be supported by the study Chief Investigator, Principal Investigator and the QUEST study team, research and delivery staff and clinical services to assist with the successful delivery of the study and achievement of local and national targets in relation to research performance.

Main duties of the job

To assist in the set-up and facilitation of the research project.

To maintain and manage an external database of quantitative data, anonymise data, input data into the database and keep it up to date.

To approach potential research participants using a variety of communication formats, in order to engage them in the research study.

To carry out any relevant psychometric test materials and structured/ semi-structured interviews whilst ensuring the safety and comfort of participants and yourself.

Where indicated, to follow-up research participants at agreed intervals.

To be aware of the psychological/ emotional needs of research participants, responding and reporting appropriately.

To ensure that research procedures (including consent processes and follow up) are carried out according to the approved protocol and the UK policy framework for health and social care research.

To conduct reviews of electronic patient clinical notes, extracting and coding data for research purposes.

To score relevant tests make data anonymous and enter data into the study database.

To ensure safe storage of paper data

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Please refer to the attached job description and person specification for full details of responsibilities.

• Arrange briefings for teams as appropriate and undertake presentations if required on the nature and requirements of the study.
• Assisting the trial managers and other members of the study team with the general delivery of the study.
• Liaise with the study sponsor, clinicians and research collaborators.
• Organise data collection opportunities associated with the research study.
• Completion of screening logs to capture data on participants approached and consented.
• To attend training and ongoing supervision for the trial as developed and delivered by the Central Management Team and supported by the site clinical Principal Investigator.
• Enter and check research data.
• Undertake advance planning to meet deadlines for formal study monitoring and study milestones (e.g. participant recruitment, data collection and data analysis)
• If requested, to support writing papers for publication during dissemination of results.
• Ensure compliance with research and clinical governance guidelines, training, data protection and ethical requirements

Please note for this role you will be required to travel independently around the county meeting strict time deadlines. You will need to hold a full UK driving licence and have use of a vehicle. You cannot use public transport for this role as this is not a reliable form of transport and will not allow you to meet service needs. Please confirm in your application that you meet the specified criteria.