Job summary
We are recruiting an Assistant Psychologist post (AP) (1.0 wte) to help evaluate the benefit of a new digitally provided therapy for people with psychosis.
The currently advertised post is for 12 months with the likelihood it will be extended for seven months more.
The Slomo2 study is investigating whether a new form of digitally delivered treatment helps reduce distress from suspicious and mistrustful thinking reported by people with paranoia, and improves people's quality of life.
This is multi-centre study of a psychological intervention to improve suspicious thinking in people with psychosis. The post-holder will be based with Robert Dudley's research team in the Early intervention in Psychosis service and colleagues working on other psychosis research projects at St Nicholas Hospital in Newcastle, and will work in CNTW NHS Foundation Trust.
Main duties of the job
The post will help deliver a large-scale study to evaluate the real world use and clinical effectiveness of a new psychological treatment for people with worries and suspicions about others. The post will be based in Newcastle but will involve travel across the Trust. The post holder will act as a research assistant and work with the trial therapists, trial coordinator and the site lead to help evaluate the treatment trial.
The ideal candidate will have experience in research and or clinical settings. It may help if you have experience of working with people who have experienced difficulties with paranoia and unusual experiences like hallucinations. They should have the ability to organize and manage multiple interlinked components of the project and their work. They will need to demonstrate a high level of interpersonal skills and be able to conduct interviews and assessment with potentially vulnerable individuals. Most importantly, they will need to be enthusiastic about the research area and have a high level of motivation and commitment.
About us
We aim to attract and retain a diverse, talented and committed workforce, who are caring and compassionate, and therefore able to meet the demands of the modern NHS now and in the future. In return we can offer a dynamic working environment in which to build a career.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The main role of the trial assistant will be as outlined below:
- Screening, recruitment, and assessment of patients for the slomo controlled trial of psychological treatment. This will involve speaking to referrers regularly, attending clinical team meetings, visiting teams. There are monthly recruitment targets.
- Participants will be seen in clinic settings or at home across a large geographical area. This means there will be extensive travel which would be facilitated by having valid driving licence, and access to own or other independent means of transport.
- Good record-keeping will be needed, including updating medical records with trial progress and completing the recruitment database.
- You will need to produce regular reports on the recruitment process (including managing the recruitment database) and assessments.
- You will need to regularly enter and check data in the study databases.
- Attendance at supervision will be expected, and at appropriate research team meetings, including training at the lead site, London.
Please find attached job description for full details.
Advertising date : 17th September 2024
Closing date : 1st October 2024
We welcome your application.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The main role of the trial assistant will be as outlined below:
- Screening, recruitment, and assessment of patients for the slomo controlled trial of psychological treatment. This will involve speaking to referrers regularly, attending clinical team meetings, visiting teams. There are monthly recruitment targets.
- Participants will be seen in clinic settings or at home across a large geographical area. This means there will be extensive travel which would be facilitated by having valid driving licence, and access to own or other independent means of transport.
- Good record-keeping will be needed, including updating medical records with trial progress and completing the recruitment database.
- You will need to produce regular reports on the recruitment process (including managing the recruitment database) and assessments.
- You will need to regularly enter and check data in the study databases.
- Attendance at supervision will be expected, and at appropriate research team meetings, including training at the lead site, London.
Please find attached job description for full details.
Advertising date : 17th September 2024
Closing date : 1st October 2024
We welcome your application.
Person Specification
Skills and Competencies
Essential
- High level of communication skills (written and oral), including an ability to communicate and work in highly emotive circumstances.
- Ability to communicate sensitive information to clients, carers and colleagues.
- An understanding of the needs and difficulties of people with mental health problems and other disabilities.
- Ability to apply existing psychological knowledge to a mental health / cognitive impairment / disability context.
- Computer literate, including use of databases & data analysis, e.g. SPSS for Windows.
- Demonstrates graduate level knowledge and experience of research and research methodology.
- An understanding of psychology applied to healthcare.
Desirable
- A high standard of report writing.
Education and Qualification
Essential
- Upper 2nd class honours degree, or higher, in psychology.
- Eligibility for graduate membership of British Psychological Society.
Desirable
- Further post graduate training in relevant areas of psychology, mental health practice and/or research design and analysis.
Knowledge and Experience
Essential
- Paid or unpaid work with people with mental health problems and/or other disabilities.
- Experience as an assistant/research psychologist.
- Knowledge of evidence based practice
Desirable
- Experience of paid work in direct care provision.
- Experience with client group relevant to post.
- Experience of psychometric test administration and interpretation.
- Experience of providing individual or group interventions.
Research experience
Essential
- Relevant research experience at undergrad or masters
Desirable
- Experience of recruitment for trials, or worked in a clinical setting doing assessments
Person Specification
Skills and Competencies
Essential
- High level of communication skills (written and oral), including an ability to communicate and work in highly emotive circumstances.
- Ability to communicate sensitive information to clients, carers and colleagues.
- An understanding of the needs and difficulties of people with mental health problems and other disabilities.
- Ability to apply existing psychological knowledge to a mental health / cognitive impairment / disability context.
- Computer literate, including use of databases & data analysis, e.g. SPSS for Windows.
- Demonstrates graduate level knowledge and experience of research and research methodology.
- An understanding of psychology applied to healthcare.
Desirable
- A high standard of report writing.
Education and Qualification
Essential
- Upper 2nd class honours degree, or higher, in psychology.
- Eligibility for graduate membership of British Psychological Society.
Desirable
- Further post graduate training in relevant areas of psychology, mental health practice and/or research design and analysis.
Knowledge and Experience
Essential
- Paid or unpaid work with people with mental health problems and/or other disabilities.
- Experience as an assistant/research psychologist.
- Knowledge of evidence based practice
Desirable
- Experience of paid work in direct care provision.
- Experience with client group relevant to post.
- Experience of psychometric test administration and interpretation.
- Experience of providing individual or group interventions.
Research experience
Essential
- Relevant research experience at undergrad or masters
Desirable
- Experience of recruitment for trials, or worked in a clinical setting doing assessments
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
Additional information
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
