Research Assistant

Job description

This position will be based in the Health Service & Population Research Department, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, within the Centre for Implementation Science Research Group.

The post-holder will work on the CaFI-2 Project (Culturally-adapted Family Intervention study   https://sites.manchester.ac.uk/cafi/ ) for which the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust (SLaM) is one NHS site.

CaFI-2 is a multi-site randomised controlled trial (RCT) of a family intervention for African and Caribbean service users with a schizophrenia spectrum disorder and their families. People of African and/or Caribbean origin (including people who identify as Black British, Black African, Black Caribbean or Mixed heritage) are more likely to have schizophrenia or psychosis than other ethnic groups in the UK. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) highlight a need for culturally-adapted psychosocial interventions for this group.

 

Role includes contributing towards the day-to-day operation of the study, including participant recruitment and data collection at SLaM locations under the guidance of Site Lead Professor Claire Henderson, with significant contact with Chief Investigator Dr Dawn Edge (Manchester) and the Trial manager (Manchester).

 

The research assistant will contribute to the successful conduct and completion of the research project. Their primary duties include:

a) Support participant recruitment to the RCT

b) Quantitative data collection, e.g. extracting data from case-notes and administering standardised assessments to service users, relatives/carers, and health professionals

c) Support Patient & Public Involvement (PPI) activities by e.g. organising community engagement events

 

As the research focuses on improving African and Caribbean people’s mental health, relevant experience of working with/understanding these communities would be advantageous.

 

This post will be offered on an a fixed-term contract ending  30-09-2023.

This is a full-time post.

 

 

Key responsibilities

Outline the key responsibilities and objectives of the job in line with the relevant role profile 

 

Key Objectives: 

•        Maximise recruitment via engagement activities 

•        Recruit family units to RCT, with support from the site team and external collaborators 

•        Administer quantitative assessments at baseline and 6 month follow up 

•        Maximise par­ticipant retention by implementing strategies developed with Research Management Group (RMG) 

 

Duties and Responsibilities: 

In addition to the duties and responsibilities outlined in the ‘Job Description’, the postholder will be expected to: 

•        Actively participate as a member of the multidisciplinary study team 

•        Attend and contribute to relevant meetings 

•        Undertake necessary training for activities 

•        Liaise with research colleagues and support administrative staff on routine matters 

 

Communication and Networking: 

•        Communicating openly and efficiently with the Lead Investigators and collaborators; attending weekly supervision meetings; communicating on a regular basis with each site 

•        Promoting the study in the South London & Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, and service users/carer forums/support groups 

•        To help present information on research progress and outcomes to management groups 

 

Decision Making, Planning and Problem Solving: 

•        To act under the guidance of Site Lead, CI and Trial Manager to ensure that daily tasks and ongoing workloads are prioritised and completed within agreed timeframes 

•        To help the research team achieve research objectives and deadlines 

•        To report any concerns raised by study participants to Site Lead 

•        To contribute to decisions affecting the work of the team 

 

The above list of responsibilities may not be exhaustive, and the post holder will be required to undertake such tasks and responsibilities as may reasonably be expected within the scope and grading of the post.

Skills, knowledge, and experience

 

Essential criteria  

1.      BSc in Psychology or another relevant subject 

2.      Evidence of continued professional/educational development 

3.      Understanding of the research process 

4.      Efficient organizational and time management skills 

5.      Knowledge of data management 

6.      Previous recruitment to studies 

7.      Experience of working with patients/service users with a long term mental or physical health condition, or their relatives/carers 

8.      Experience of planning and facilitating Patient and Public Involvement activities. 

 

Desirable criteria

1.      MSc in mental health, psychology, research methods or other relevant subject 

2.      Understanding issues of clinical risks and how they may be managed 

3.      Good understanding of psychosis 

4.      Awareness of issues relating to mental illness in the African and Caribbean communities in the UK 

 

Further information

Interview date to be confirmed, will be via MS Teams.