Job overview

We are looking for a Research Assistant to join us on a new research project funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Research for Patient Benefit (RfPB) Programme:  A co-produced mental imagery intervention to reduce anxiety in people with mild to moderate intellectual disabilities (Co-MAID): a feasibility study

The study is hosted by Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust, in collaboration with the University of Birmingham . 

This post exists to support the delivery and coordination of the Co-MAID feasibility trial — an NIHR-funded study testing a mental imagery-based anxiety intervention for people with a learning disability — enabling the organisation to determine whether this adapted intervention can be feasibly delivered across five NHS Trust sites, and so generate the evidence needed to inform a future full-scale randomised controlled trial.

This is a full time 21-month fixed term contract linked to external funding. You'll be based at the Slade House and working hours are Monday - Friday, 9-5pm. There is opportunity for hybrid working.

Main duties of the job

The main duties are to promote the study across the 5 NHS recruitment sites (Berkshire, Oxfordshire, Northamptonshire, Hampshire and Buckinghamshire). You will be responsible for recruiting and consenting participants, conducting clinical assessments and structured interviews with participants, and extracting information about other treatments and service use from the medical records. You'll work closely with the study’s chief investigator, Principle Investigators across all research sites, our lived experience co-applicant and collaborators at University of Birmingham.

Specific tasks include:

• Arrange, schedule and collect interview and questionnaire data from participants under the close supervision of the CI. Assessments will take place in the patient’s home or in clinic rooms.
• To extract patient treatment and service use data from the electronic patient notes, and record these.
• To contribute to consent, data collection and analysis of qualitative data from participants and therapists.
• Contribute to the effective working of the study according to the protocol by entering data, maintaining databases and by helping prepare anonymised data monitoring reports.

There will be opportunities to contribute to research papers, conference presentations, and team meetings, plus opportunities for other clinical experiences and career development activities.

Working for our organisation

Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust provides physical, mental health and social care for people of all ages across Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Swindon, Wiltshire, Bath and North East Somerset.

Our services are delivered at community bases, hospitals and clinics, delivering care as close to home as possible. Our vision is that no matter who you are or where you are, you will tell us that you receive: “Outstanding care delivered by an outstanding team”

Our values are: “Caring, safe and excellent”

At Oxford Health we offer a wide range of benefits designed to support your career and wellbeing. These include:

• Excellent opportunities for career progression
• Access to tailored individual and Trust wide learning and development
• 27 days annual leave, plus bank holidays, rising to 33 days with continuous service
• NHS Discount across a wide range of shops, restaurants and retailers
• Competitive pension scheme
• Lease car scheme
• Cycle to work scheme
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Mental Health First Aiders
• Staff accommodation (please note waiting lists may apply)
• Staff networking and support groups hosted by our Equality, Diversity & Inclusion team