Job summary
The NHS has a clear digital agenda for addressing mental health challenges by harnessing the information gathered from technology and self-management in long-term conditions. Our long-term vision is to improve the quality of life of people with psychosis while also reducing the impact and financial burden on service providers. Continuous symptom monitoring coupled with models that accurately and reliably predict relapse will contribute to this vision. Our Wellcome Trust funded CONNECT study will recruit individuals with psychosis and use smartphone apps to actively and passively collect data using a prospective observational cohort study. We will use these data to develop and validate a personalised risk prediction algorithm for relapse. Additionally, we want to maximise engagement and information obtained from digital remote monitoring by asking the right questions, at the right frequency and time.
The postholder will work closely with a second research assistant, research fellow, and with Professor Kathryn Greenwood locally. You will also receive training and be linked to the multidisciplinary research group with international leaders in their fields in Manchester, London, Cardiff, Glasgow and Edinburgh.
The post-holder will need to have excellent communication and liaison skills as they will be required to promote the study locally, and recruit from mental health services and organisations which are used by people with psychotic experiences.
We are looking to hire 2 full-time applicants to this role.
Main duties of the job
This full-time research assistant post is key to the success of the study. The postholder will be primarily responsible for (but not limited to) recruitment and assessment of participants in the study. The post-holder will also be a member of the Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust. The post-holder will work within the agreed protocols for the CONNECT study and will adhere to local policies, procedures and codes of practice. Recruitment for the project will be based initially in the catchment areas of Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust.
The main duties in this post are to identify, recruit and conduct assessments of mental health and well-being for people with psychosis, to introduce patients to the digital tools, to record outcomes, contribute to reports, and support the engagement of patients in the study.
We are looking for highly motivated candidates with excellent communication skills who are able to build a strong rapport and relationship with both service users and staff. Candidates should also have excellent research and IT skills and the ability to work flexibly and conduct high quality assessments with service users with psychosis.
About us
The R&D department in Sussex Partnership Foundation Trust is a large and vibrant department with research assistants and clinical studies officers working across a variety of projects. There will be opportunities to meet staff on other projects and from different disciplines, and to take up CPD opportunities to strengthen your clinical and research work experience. There are regular psychosis research lab meetings, and Sussex Psychosis Research interest Group (SPRiG) seminars, which will further strengthen your knowledge and skills. The candidate will receive supervision from a Professor in Clinical Psychology and will work closely with other members of the CONNECT team locally and nationally.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Main Responsibilities
- To assist the Research Fellow/Trial Manager and other research group members in the planning of research.
- To identify and recruit participants into all phases of the study.
- To liaise and work with clinical studies officers, clinical and research services in recruiting participants into the study.
- To undertake protocol based psychological assessments, including administration of self-report measures, rating scales, direct and indirect structured observations and semi-structured interviews with participants and others involved in their care, including extraction of relevant data from medical records.
- To set participants up on a digital remote monitoring platform (e.g. using apps) and support participants to use and work with with digital devices (e.g. wearable devices).
- To support ethics applications and ethical amendments, as required.
- To collect and maintain high quality, valid and reliable clinical activity and outcome data and appropriate statistical and data management information including active participation in inter-rater reliability checks.
- To attend and contribute to appropriate multi-disciplinary meetings, steering groups and other forums.
- To maintain accurate and complete records of all findings including maintaining recruitment figures with relevant NHS Trusts and managing databases to record research data and monitor study activity.
- To assist with the writing of reports for submission to research sponsors and presentation material.
- Work closely with the Research Fellow/Trial Manager, and the other study site research assistants.
- Understanding of confidentiality and protocols for ethics and data protection.
- Flexible approach to dealing with research problems as they arise.
- Ability to use initiative to efficiently plan, optimise and progress projects.
- Excellent organisation skills and demonstrable initiative.
- The candidate must also be able to travel to different research sites.
Desirable Skills/Experience:
- Experience working as an assistant psychologist or research assistant or PhD completed in a clinical psychology field.
- Experience with, and commitment to, patient and public engagement and non-academic dissemination of research study findings.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Main Responsibilities
- To assist the Research Fellow/Trial Manager and other research group members in the planning of research.
- To identify and recruit participants into all phases of the study.
- To liaise and work with clinical studies officers, clinical and research services in recruiting participants into the study.
- To undertake protocol based psychological assessments, including administration of self-report measures, rating scales, direct and indirect structured observations and semi-structured interviews with participants and others involved in their care, including extraction of relevant data from medical records.
- To set participants up on a digital remote monitoring platform (e.g. using apps) and support participants to use and work with with digital devices (e.g. wearable devices).
- To support ethics applications and ethical amendments, as required.
- To collect and maintain high quality, valid and reliable clinical activity and outcome data and appropriate statistical and data management information including active participation in inter-rater reliability checks.
- To attend and contribute to appropriate multi-disciplinary meetings, steering groups and other forums.
- To maintain accurate and complete records of all findings including maintaining recruitment figures with relevant NHS Trusts and managing databases to record research data and monitor study activity.
- To assist with the writing of reports for submission to research sponsors and presentation material.
- Work closely with the Research Fellow/Trial Manager, and the other study site research assistants.
- Understanding of confidentiality and protocols for ethics and data protection.
- Flexible approach to dealing with research problems as they arise.
- Ability to use initiative to efficiently plan, optimise and progress projects.
- Excellent organisation skills and demonstrable initiative.
- The candidate must also be able to travel to different research sites.
Desirable Skills/Experience:
- Experience working as an assistant psychologist or research assistant or PhD completed in a clinical psychology field.
- Experience with, and commitment to, patient and public engagement and non-academic dissemination of research study findings.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- An upper second class honours degree or higher in psychology. Entitlement to graduate membership of the British Psychological Society.
Experience
Essential
- Work with people with severe and enduring mental distress.
- Experience of qualitative and quantitative research methods.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- An upper second class honours degree or higher in psychology. Entitlement to graduate membership of the British Psychological Society.
Experience
Essential
- Work with people with severe and enduring mental distress.
- Experience of qualitative and quantitative research methods.
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).
