Research Project Support Officer

Applications are invited for the above full-time post working in Bangor University's North Wales Centre for Primary Care Research (NWCPCR). This fixed term post currently expires 30/06/2027, subject to further funding becoming available.

The successful candidate will join the ThinkCancer Team part-way through this fully recruited trial, (and until its conclusion) to provide research support along with the wider team. The ThinkCancer phase III randomised controlled trial (RCT) is a pragmatic RCT of a novel behavioural intervention for primary care teams to promote earlier cancer diagnosis, with embedded process and economic evaluation. This is a study jointly funded by Cancer Research Wales and North-West Cancer Research being led by Professor Clare Wilkinson (Professor of General Practice, North Wales Medical School, Bangor University).

The aim of the study is to assess the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of the ThinkCancer intervention for general practice teams compared with usual care, in terms of the primary care interval (time between first presentation of potential cancer symptoms and referral to secondary care). Secondary objectives include determining the cost-effectiveness of ThinkCancer compared to usual practice, exploration of patients and carer experiences of urgent referral, the study of contextual factors driving implementation, determining the acceptability of the intervention among practice teams and assessing possible safety netting improvements. ThinkCancer is a whole-practice based behavioural change intervention, comprising educational and quality improvement workshops: two educational sessions: one for all clinical staff (the 'early diagnosis' session) and one for non-clinical but patient-facing staff (the 'cancer aware' session). Intervention delivery will be accompanied by parallel qualitative work and economic evaluation. 99 general practices in Wales, North-West England and South of England have been randomised to the 'ThinkCancer' intervention or usual practice.

The postholder will support Professor Wilkinson and the trial manager in the delivery of the ThinkCancer trial. The successful applicant will be responsible for working with the trial manager and the wider study team to ensure smooth day to day running of the trial. The post holder will be expected to conduct a range of research activities including supporting general practices with data collection, data entry and storage, reporting on progress and attending trial meetings. The post holder will also be responsible for liaising with the wider study team, stakeholders and other outside organisations as directed by the trial manager. The post holder will be required to contribute towards written reports to the study funders, publication in peer reviewed journals and conference proceedings. The post holder will work alongside the trial manager to ensure that the trial is delivered in adherence with current Good Clinical Practice and GDPR guidelines.

The successful candidate will also form a part of the wider NWCPCR team and will be expected to attend departmental meetings and contribute to the PRIME Centre Wales work package 4 within which ThinkCancer is situated.

This role will be located on campus at Wrexham. Through our Dynamic Working framework, there will also be the option to spend some time working remotely (although remaining in the UK) to support work life balance, which will be discussed further with candidates at interview.

Applications will also be considered to carry out this role on a job share basis.

Prospective applicants are encouraged to contact the following for informal discussions regarding the post: Nicola Nikolic, Trial Manager ), or Richard Evans, Senior Research Administrator NWCPCR ).

Committed To Equal Opportunities

OVERVIEW

A pragmatic randomised controlled phase III trial of ThinkCancer: a novel behavioural intervention for primary care teams to promote earlier cancer diagnosis with embedded process and economic evaluation. Cancer outcomes in the United Kingdom (UK) are poor in comparison with many other developed countries and the UK's five-year relative survival rates are below the European average across all cancer types.

Delays in patient care are a major contributor to this, with patients who experience delays likely to have longer diagnostic intervals and lower rates of cancer survival. Timely diagnosis is therefore key to improving cancer outcomes; policy initiatives embrace new approaches. Around 60% of cancers present to primary care in the UK with almost half (49%) of avoidable delays in cancer diagnosis occurring in primary care. This picture has worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic. Great variations in early diagnosis strategies exist between different General Practitioners (GPs).

Appropriately targeted, effective clinical behaviour change interventions targeted to GPs are known to work. Expediting cancer diagnosis has the potential to benefit patients, whilst reducing NHS costs.

ThinkCancer aims to assess the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of the ThinkCancer intervention in primary care and to undertake a process and economic evaluation.

Purpose of the Job

To be responsible for the co-ordination and delivery of the fully recruited ThinkCancer phase III randomised controlled trial (RCT) and to support Professor Wilkinson and the trial manager.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

• Support the trial manager with the day to day running of the trial.
• Assist the trial manager with study regulatory communications and submissions.
• Support the team with Trial Master File maintenance.
• Collect trial quantitative data.
• Resolve data queries, monitor data and enter data into the trial database.
• Prepare and present updates on data collection at funder meetings and trial management meetings.
• Report Adverse Events (AEs).
• Support the trial manager with updates to the delegation log.
• Prepare deviation and exception reports and update the Record Log.
• Support the trial manager and the team with ongoing risk assessments.
• Prepare study documents as required.
• Help with social media posting and dissemination.
• Work in adherence to current GCP and GDPR guidelines and trial SOPs.
• Contribute to written outputs including reports to funders and publications in peer reviewed journals.
• Contribute to conference proceedings including presentation of study findings.

Other Duties and Responsibilities

• The post holder will be expected to participate in performance review and developmental activities.
• The post holder will be expected to comply with the University's equality policies and statements, Dignity at Work and Study Policy and the University's Welsh Language Scheme.
• The post holder has a general and legal duty of care in relation to health, safety and wellbeing and must take all reasonable steps to ensure a safe and healthy working environment for him/her/ their self and for other members of staff, students and visitors affected by his/her actions or inactions. The post holder is also required to comply with all applicable health and safety policies, procedures and risk assessments.
• The post holder must comply with relevant legal and financial policies and procedures and be aware of their responsibilities in terms of the legal requirements of their posts.

Person Specification

Qualifications/Training

Essential

• A good first degree (upper second class or higher) in a relevant subject.

Desirable

• A higher degree in a relevant subject.
• A current Good Clinical Practice certificate.

Experience/Knowledge

Essential

• Experience of working within a team.
• Experience of working on own initiative, managing and prioritising own workload.
• Experience of delivering projects to target.
• Understanding of confidentiality and data protection.
• Understanding of research methodologies relevant to the post.

Desirable

• Experience of working within a multidisciplinary research team or large organisation.
• Experience of working in research specific to primary care or cancer.
• Experience of randomised controlled trials.
• Experience of writing for publication or contributing to funding applications.
• Experience of report writing and preparing presentations for dissemination.
• Experience of recruiting research participants, collecting data and managing complex data sets in health or social care settings.
• Evidence of publication in peer reviewed journals.

Skills/ Abilities

Essential

• Excellent generic research skills.
• Excellent writing skills.
• Excellent organisational skills; able to manage own work and ability to work without direct supervision, prioritising own workload to meet tight deadlines and meet project targets.
• Ability to work under pressure and assume responsibility and use initiative.
• Excellent communication skills at a range of levels conveying information in academic and non-academic contexts.
• Excellent IT skills.
• Able to make good relationships with colleagues and to work well as part of a team.

Desirable

• Ability to use appropriate databases and software packages.
• Understanding of research processes.

Other

Essential

• Driving licence or alternative ability to travel to various locations as needed to undertake the duties of the role successfully.
• Ability to demonstrate an understanding of the bilingual nature of the institution and the area.
• This post is subject to a satisfactory enhanced Disclosure & Barring Service check.

Desirable

• Ability to communicate in Welsh.

General

The University is committed to supporting and promoting equality and diversity and to creating an inclusive working environment. We believe this can be achieved through attracting, developing, and retaining a diverse range of staff from many different backgrounds. We strive to develop a workforce from all sections of the community regardless of sex, gender identity, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, trans identity, relationship status, religion or belief, caring responsibilities, or age. We promote and facilitate the use of the Welsh language through our progressive Welsh Language Policy. We comply with the Welsh Language Standards and are committed to equality of opportunity. You are welcome to apply for any job in English or Welsh and all applications submitted will be treated equally.

We are a member of Advance HE's Athena SWAN Gender Equality charter and hold a Silver award in recognition of our commitment to and progress towards gender equality within the University's policies, practices, and culture. We are proud to be a Disability Confident employer.

All members of staff have a duty to ensure their actions are in line with the overall environmental aims of the University and minimise their environmental impact.

All offers are made subject to proof of eligibility to work in the UK and receipt of satisfactory references.

We have a legal responsibility to ensure that you have the right to work in the UK before you can start working for us. When you apply for this post you will be required to explain the basis upon which you believe you will able to live and work in the UK legally on the commencement date of the role should your application be successful. If you do not have the right to work freely in any position in the UK already, any offer of employment we will make to you will be subject to you obtaining a right to work visa. The following link provides information on the various visa routes into employment and the eligibility requirements (including switching visa status where permissible) If you are successful in your application we will discuss visa options with you at the time of making the offer of employment.

Please note that, in the event of applications being received from candidates on the University's Redeployment Register with a reasonable skills match to the post specification, these applicants will be given prior consideration.