Assistant Clinical Research Practitioner

Acting as patient and participant advocate at all times, the post holder will be expected to co-ordinate research clinics and organise study related care. They will identify strategies to find and assist in the enrolment of research participants.

The post-holder will perform a range of clinical assessments in line with accepted standards of practice. They will communicate effectively with the study and clinical teams to ensure good participant experience and adherence to study protocols. The post holder will be responsible for case report form completion, site file management and maintenance of databases. They will be responsible for ordering study supplies. The post holder will ensure the well-being of participants by adhering to relevant regulations and local Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) including Good Clinical Practice (GCP), Medicines for Human Use (Clinical Trials) Regulations, Research Governance Framework for Health and Social Care and the Human Tissue Act.

Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust comprises five of the UK’s best known hospitals - Guy’s, St Thomas’, Evelina London Children’s Hospital, Royal Brompton and Harefield - as well as community services in Lambeth and Southwark, all with a long history of high quality care, clinical excellence, research and innovation.

We have a long tradition of clinical and scientific achievement and - as part of King’s Health Partners - we are one of England’s eight academic health sciences centres, bringing together world-class clinical services, teaching and research. We have one of the National Institute for Health Research’s biomedical research centres, established with King’s College London in 2007, as well as dedicated clinical research facilities.

We have around 22,700 staff, making us one of the largest NHS Trusts in the country and one of the biggest employers locally. We aim to reflect the diversity of the communities we serve and continue to develop new and existing partnerships with local people, patients, neighbouring NHS organisations, local authorities and charitable bodies and GPs.

We strive to recruit and retain the best staff as the dedication and skills of our employees lie at the heart of our organisation and ensure that our services are of the highest quality, safe and focused on our patients.

Clinical and communication responsibilities
- Provide excellent customer care skills to ensure patients and participants come first.
- Work within relevant regulations and ICH GCP (International Conference on Harmonisation and Good Clinical Practice) ensuring that the study protocol is adhered to at all times.
- Co-ordinate research clinics and co-ordinate a portfolio of studies in conjunction with team members. This involves planning and organising clinical study related care or tests in accordance with approved study protocols or departmental standard operating procedures.
- Establish strategies for recruiting participants into clinical studies and identify individuals potentially eligible for research studies. Gain permissions for research contacts.
- For specific studies post holder may be delegated to obtain consent from participants in line with Trust policy and research protocol.
- Organise appointments and conduct telephone follow-up calls as required.
- Report any adverse events or health concerns which occur whilst the participant is taking part in the study, to an appropriate doctor or nurse in a timely manner and to the appropriate principal or co-investigator.
- Perform and record a range of clinical assessments in line with personal competencies and as stipulated in approved study protocols including blood pressure, temperature, respirations, questionnaires, urinalysis, weight and height, and report abnormalities or changes appropriately.
- Perform tasks requiring clinical and laboratory skills, including phlebotomy, venepuncture, biological sample preparation within clinical area and laboratories as stipulated in approved protocols and laboratory manuals.
- Responsible for ensuring safe and appropriate storage, shipment and documentation of specimens.
- Keep up to date with current practice for phlebotomy and venepuncture.
- Provide ongoing support to the participant and carer whilst participating in the clinical study.
- Communicate on a regular basis with senior medical staff, nursing, pharmacy, radiology, and pathology and laboratory staff.
- Liaise with other departments and wards at the site/s, in order to promote a good working environment, integration of research and open channels of communication.
- Take responsibility for ensuring own knowledge of amendments and updates to studies you work on and assist the research team in ensuring that information relating to updates in the study protocols and guidelines are disseminated to key areas and personnel.
- Communicate study related information effectively with the research team and study participants and their family members. This information