Senior Research Assistant Practitioner

Job overview

This role is ideal for an experienced Assistant Practitioner looking to take on greater responsibility within a fast-paced research environment. The successful candidate will play a key role in supporting the coordination and delivery of research activities, ensuring high standards of quality, organisation, and compliance are consistently maintained. You will be expected to work with a high degree of autonomy, contributing to the day-to-day operational management of the service while supporting and guiding junior team members.

Key responsibilities will include overseeing workflows, ensuring accurate documentation and data management, maintaining regulatory and governance standards, and acting as a point of escalation for operational queries. You will also contribute to process improvement initiatives and support the implementation of new studies and protocols. Strong organisational skills, attention to detail, and the ability to prioritise competing demands are essential. Excellent communication skills are required, as you will liaise with multidisciplinary teams across the organisation.

Clinical tasks undertaken by the Senior AP will be ratified by the Nursing Radiography and Rehabilitation Advisory Committee (NRRAC). The Research Nurse Team Leader will be responsible for ensuring post holder competency is achieved and maintained for the clinical tasks to be undertaken, specific to each clinical area of concern.

Main duties of the job

The Senior Assistant Practitioner (SAP) is an essential valued member of the team appointed to support Registered  Nurses (RN) in the delivery of patient care.

The post holder will be autonomous in their workload and responsible for recruiting to and coordinating an agreed portfolio of research projects. Responsibilities will include day to day management of assistant practitioners under direct and indirect supervision of experienced research nursing staff and assisting in the completion of forms for the  trust/ethics approval; identifying patients through MDTs (multi disciplinary teams)/screening notes; explaining studies to patients prior to informed consent; collecting ‘on treatment’ and ‘follow-up’ data; designing databases for local studies; data entry for local studies and liaising with external trial centres for multi-centre studies.

For some studies the post holder will be required to interview patients with newly diagnosed, recurrent or advanced cancer in some depth about sensitive personal psychosocial issues. The post holder will work closely with MDT team including medical staff, research nurses and coordinators, site-specific teams and oncology groups, clinical nurse specialists, clinic staff and radiographers for the clinical research studies. This is an excellent opportunity for an individual looking to further develop their leadership skills and make a meaningful contribution to translational research within a supportive and dynamic team.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

For further information on this role, please see the attached detailed Job Description and Person Specification.

• Work autonomously screening patients’ suitability for entry into research studies, by attending MDTs and clinics or searching patient case notes exercising judgment and knowledge of trial eligibility criteria.
• Be familiar with the application processes involved in the submission to the appropriate Ethics and R&D Committees by the Clinical Trial Coordinators/ Senior Trial Coordinators.
• Identify patients that may be suitable for research projects and initiate discussion with patients and carers about defined research protocols.
• Ensure patients are fully informed prior to entry into a research study and that all information is understood.
• Develop tumour site-specific knowledge in order to enhance practice.
• Provide support and reassurance to patients, referring them to the appropriate units or team members as necessary.
• To complete Good Clinical Practice (GCP) and HTA training and adhere at all times to regulations as described in Good Clinical Practice, and to the most current guidance relating to Research Governance and Research Ethics in each Trust.
• To recognise own limitations and undertake both mandatory and specialist training to ensure compliance with all clinical research regulatory frameworks.
• To act as an advocate for staff, patients and relatives at all times.
• To ensure the benefits to patients are maximised through careful, economical and appropriate use of NHS resources including equipment, property, money, time etc.
• To promote a safe clinical environment for all patients, visitors and staff.
• To assist with any local or trust initiatives to ensure the continuous improvement of the quality of services and safeguarding of high standards of care.