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Job summary

Main area
Mental Health
Grade
NHS AfC: Band 5
Contract
12 months (fixed term)
Hours
Full time - 37.5 hours per week
Job ref
444-8371666-MH
Employer
Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership NHS Trust
Employer type
NHS
Site
The Caludon Centre
Town
Coventry
Salary
£32,073 - £39,043 per annum
Salary period
Yearly
Closing
29/10/2026 23:59
Interview date
12/11/2026

Employer heading

Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership NHS Trust logo

Research Assistant Psychologist

NHS AfC: Band 5

Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership Trust provides a full range of expanding physical, mental health and learning disability services to children, young adults, adults and older adults over many sites across Coventry, Warwickshire and Solihull.

Services are provided to a population of over one million people living in Coventry and Warwickshire and also a wider geographical area in some of our specialist services

‘We recognise the benefits of flexible working and support applications wherever possible. If you would like to work flexibly please ask the recruiting manager for more information.’

Armed Forces Community welcome to apply.

PLEASE NOTE that this vacancy can be closed as soon as sufficient applications are received. Staff at risk within the Trust will be given priority.

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Please check your emails, including junk and spam folders, regularly throughout the process of your application for any notifications from the Recruitment Team.   If you have any queries regarding your application please phone the Partnership Trust Recruitment Department.

Candidate Information Pack

Job overview

The role offers an exciting opportunity for you to develop your applied research capabilities and understanding of managing transformation of inpatient mental health services. If you are interested in improving mental health services through applied research, this could be the role for you!

More information is in the supporting documents, however the role includes;

  • Primary qualitative research that involves interviewing key stakeholders in the transformation process and attending key meetings within and outside CWPT. 
  • Secondary research, for example collating relevant documentation such as strategic plans, literature reviews, audit and other data that shows emergent outcomes of the transformation, such as outcomes for service users and service costs.
  • Collating data and producing accessible reports and making presentations to relevant stakeholders
  • Contributing to the development of academic manuscripts, knowledge mobilisation outputs and clinical reports. 

In addition to the lovely team of wider professionals, you will be supported by a team of two Consultant Clinical Psychologists and two academics (from Warwick Medical School and Warwick Business School). Together we will develop peer reviewed publications, professional journal articles, knowledge mobilisation products and management reports to support service transformation. Thus, the intention is that this project will influence inpatient mental health service delivery both locally and nationally.

Main duties of the job

·       Primary qualitative research that involves interviewing key stakeholders in the transformation process, as well as interviewing or observing service users and staff within CWPT.

·       Secondary research, for example collating relevant documentation such as strategic plans, literature reviews, audit and other data that shows emergent outcomes of the transformation, such as outcomes for service users and service costs.

·       Collating data, producing accessible reports and delivering presentations.

·       Contributing to the development of academic manuscripts, knowledge mobilisation outputs and clinical reports.

In addition to the above you will be

  • Embedded in the NIHR ARC WM – National Institute for Heath and Care Research, Applied Research Collaborative, West Midlands.
  • Part of a network of similar researchers focused on ‘knowledge mobilisation’ that meet regularly

You will join an established team of friendly psychological professionals. Your role will be to engage in qualitative research fieldwork and evidence synthesis to examine implementation of service interventions and collate secondary data to monitor outcomes of service transformation over time. In addition to the NIHR study the role includes conducting and driving forward smaller projects of audit, quality improvement and data analysis and dissemination of results throughout the service.

Working for our organisation

Candidate Information Pack Dec 24

Psychological Professions Brochure

At Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership NHS Trust (CWPT), we are expanding our research and innovation as part of aspirations to achieve University Trust status.

We put ‘people at our heart’; this ethos is at the centre of everything we do and how we do it. We care for our staff and colleagues as much as they care for others and offer a wide range of benefits and development opportunities. 

These include:

 

·       generous annual leave entitlement which increases during your time with us

·       flexible working opportunities

·       excellent learning and development opportunities, including apprenticeship frameworks, distance learning, internal training, coaching and mentoring, and much more

·       salary sacrifice schemes for lease car/ vehicle, Cycle to Work, home and electronics, gym membership and more

·       discounts with a range of retailers, restaurants and entertainment venues through our Employee Assistance Programme and NHS discount schemes

·       wellbeing support, including an in-house counselling service, external helpline and more

·       staff networks and support groups

We’re always on the lookout for people who share our passion for improving the lives and wellbeing of people in our community, as well as our values of compassion, collaboration, excellence, integrity and respect.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

For more information on this role please see the attached supporting information. This will give you a better overview of the job role and requirements.       

Person Specification:

Qualifications

Essential

  • (3) Obtained a psychology degree giving GBR status with the British Psychological Society, Grade 2:1 or above (Essential)

Experience

Essential

  • (3) Research experience, particularly experience of gathering and analysing primary and secondary qualitative data
  • (3) Experience conducting qualitative research and analysis, such as conducting interviews and thematic analysis
  • (3) familiar with the management, evaluation, and analysis of data, developing and implementing skills in the interpretation of qualitative data in particular from interviews and surveys undertaken with staff, partner organisations, services users and the general public.
  • (3) Familiarity with relevant software and IT packages (e.g. SPSS, Excel, Word,
  • (3) Experience of working in a mental health or social care setting
  • (3) Experience of managing projects
  • (3) Presenting and disseminating the results of research.

Desirable:

  • Publication of results of research
  • MSc or further post graduate research experience
  • Proven ability to use own initiative and problem solve
  • Experience of extracting and coding data from an electronic patient record

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria
  • Obtained a psychology degree giving GBR status with the British Psychological Society, Grade 2:1 or above

Experience

Essential criteria
  • Experience of gathering and analysing primary and secondary qualitative data
  • Presentation and report writing capability

Skills

Essential criteria
  • Excellent written communication skills, including ability to produce detailed research reports
  • Competent in a range of IT skills appropriate to the post

Other

Essential criteria
  • Must have an independent means of travel for business

Employer certification / accreditation badges

NHS Pastoral Care Quality AwardVeteran AwareApprenticeships logoNo smoking policyMindful employer.  Being positive about mental health.Defence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) - Gold

Applicant requirements

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Application numbers

This vacancy may close early as it may attract high number of applications. Please complete and submit your application in good time to avoid disappointment.

Documents to download

Apply online now

Further details / informal visits contact

Name
Dr Ruth Fountain
Job title
Consultant Clinical Psychologist & Research Fellow
Email address
[email protected]
Telephone number
07919413395
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