Research Fellow/Trial Coordinator

Job summary

The post holder will be based within the diverse and experienced COMIC Research Team in York and will be responsible for supporting and coordinating research into child and adolescent mental health. The post holder will be from a mental health research related background ( psychology, nursing, health services research, etc.) with experience of the mental health research setting, trial coordination, grant application and study recruitment including informed consent. This is a fantastic opportunity to work within a team which develops its own research ideas and projects.

The post holder will lead and manage projects using effective change management strategies, work autonomously and manage their own workload. The post holder will always maintain and ensure others maintain high standards of practice in accordance with the Research Governance Framework and appropriate quality standards ( ICH-GCP). This work will involve collaboration with members of the NHS, the wider research community including Universities, the general public and research networks.

The Research Fellow will be expected to identify and recruit community members, mental health service users and carers eligible to take part in a range of projects, provide information, care and advice on all aspects of their involvement in clinical trials. They will also be responsible for supporting junior members of the team, including advising and proper reporting of any adverse events.

Main duties of the job

The Research Fellow will be responsible for coordinating research studies in child and adolescent mental health. They will be expected to undertake study set-up activities ( ethics applications, organising finances and contracts, planning for study implementation), coordinate the running of studies ( arranging steering committee or similar oversight, writing reports to funders, keeping track of recruitment and study timelines, solving or escalating any problems which may arise), and enact study dissemination plans ( informing participants of study findings, writing up study findings for academic publication, creating accessible study infographics, presenting at conferences). The Research Fellow will also be expected to have oversight of studies for their duration, manage research assistant(s), and undertake patient and public involvement (PPI) throughout the course of the study.

In addition to trial coordination responsibilities, the Research Fellow will be involved in the development of ideas for research funding applications and the creation of said funding applications. It will be expected that the attends local and regional conferences and networks with other professionals and community members to aid the development of future research applications.

The post holder will undertake all of these responsibilities with keen attention to detail and excellent organisational and communication skills.

About us

The Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (LYPFT) is the main provider of Mental Health and Learning Disability services in Leeds. We also provide specialist inpatient services in York and some highly specialised services across the country. As a teaching trust with strong links to local universities, we are a centre of excellence for teaching,research and development.

There are many benefits of working for LYPFT including fantastic employee wellbeing support, 27 - 33 days annual leave, flexible working and remote working arrangements, the NHS Pension Scheme, coaching, support and opportunities for career development and training and education support alongside a range of exclusive discounts and payment schemes including for cars, extra leave days and more NHS Discount Offers.

We also have an incredible bank department, offering variety of roles in nursing, allied health professions, healthcare support worker and administration clerical. Permanent employees are automatically added to bank.

Applicants should be aware that for any individual who requires a visa to work in the UK, the Trust provides sponsorship for registered healthcare practitioner roles only. This is an essential requirement of the role, and the Trust is unable to offer you a role if you are unable to meet Trust requirements for sponsorship and Home Office requirements for a visa.

Job description

Job responsibilities

This post will involve close liaison with mental health, social care and primary services, as well as with relevant Research and Development departments.

The post holder will be based within the CAMHS Research Team (COMIC) based within the specialist services directorate in York but may be expected to work across Leeds and York if required. Based within a diverse and experienced research team, the research fellow will be responsible for supporting and coordinating research into child/adolescent and possibly adult mental health. The post holder will be from a mental health research applicable background ( psychology, nursing, health services research, etc.) and will have experience of the mental health research setting, trial coordination, applying for grants and recruiting participants into research, including informed consent.

The primary aim of this post is to support the expansion of research activity within the trust. This will predominantly involve coordinating the pilot 18-25 service for National Deaf CAMHS and other studies in the team that may need support. The post holder will contribute to the development of the service to clinical trial participants and ensure cost effective use of resources. They will lead and manage this and other projects using effective change management strategies linking to local and national research, work autonomously and manage their own workload. The post holder will at all times maintain and ensure others maintain high standards of practice in accordance with the Research Governance Framework for Health and Social Care, the appropriate quality standards for each trial ( International Conference on Harmonisation of Good Clinical Practice in Clinical Trials (ICH-GCP)) and appropriate standards of probitylaid down by their professional body ( nursing and midwifery code of contact). This work will involve collaboration with members of the National Health Service, the wider research community including Universities, the general public and research networks. Additionally, the research fellow will be expected to identify and recruit members of the public, mental health service users and carers eligible to take part in a range of projects and provide information and support, ensuring that they and junior members of the team are working according to ICH GCP and research governance standards for clinical trials. The post holder will provide care and advice to participants on all aspects of their involvement in clinical trials, including advising and proper reposting of any adverse events. This will involve close liaison with mental health, social care and primary services, as well as with relevant Research and Development departments.

In addition the post holder will work to assist in the coordination of writing and submission of grant applications to appropriately identified funding streams in collaboration with academic partners, clinical trials units, third sector organisations, and other NHS organisations. The post holder will also be responsible for the facilitation of patient and public involvement within the application process, identifying suitable parties and coordinating their involvement. If grant applications are successful, the research fellow will coordinate the set up and running of the research which will involve applying for permissions including Health Research Authority, R&D and NHS ethics, writing interim and final reports for funders and papers for publication as part of an agreed dissemination strategy.

Person Specification

Knowledge

Essential

Educated to degree level in a mental health research applicable background ( psychology, nursing, health services research, etc.)

Understanding

Essential

An understanding of and commitment to research about child mental health, illness and interventions to promote mental health.

Experience

Essential

Experience in clinical mental health research practice and trial coordination

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