Our Vision is to provide the best mental health, learning disability, autism and community based services for the populations we serve.
As an integrated mental health, learning disability and community Trust, Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust provides a range of services including:
1. Primary and secondary mental health care for children and adults including specialist inpatient child and adolescent mental health provision, perinatal mental health, forensic services including low and medium secure care.
2. Specialist community support for children and adults with learning disabilities and autism, including intensive support.
3. Community physical health and well-being services for children and adults.
The Trust was first established in 2002 and employs approximately 7,000 staff who provide care from more than 400 sites. The organisation offers opportunities for medics, mental health and general nurses, allied health professionals, psychology, administration and clerical staff, apprentices and volunteers.
Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust supports flexible working; we believe that a positive work/life balance benefits NHS employees through improved health and wellbeing. We would consider working patterns such as term time, part time, compressed hours, home/remote working, and flexi-time.
Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust is seeking to appoint a Senior Research Assistant in Forensic Mental Health Research, to work in close partnership with the researchers, in the delivery of an NIHR funded trial Empowered Together (co-ordinated social care in prison): A feasibility and definitive randomised controlled trial, with embedded realist informed process evaluation.
The Trust delivers a wide portfolio of high quality research including this important study. This is a great opportunity to have a key role in a new NIHR funded research trial led by Chief Investigators Dr Louise Robinson (LSCft) and Dr Katrina Forsyth (UoM) to explore the unmet social care needs of men in prison. The post holder will have a crucial role in planning, co-ordinating and completing the trial. They will have excellent communication and presentation skills, strong organisational skills, and attention to detail.
Main duties of the job
The main duties of the post-holder will be to contribute to the day-to-day operation of the Empowered Together study, under the guidance of Chief Investigators Dr Louise Robinson (LSCft) and Dr Katrina Forsyth (UoM). The post holder will work in partnership with the research team at UoM to set up the study, conducting telephone interviews with prison staff, and travel to prisons to conduct face-to-face study interviews with both prisoners and staff.
The Senior Research Assistant will be involved in participant recruitment, data collection, analysis, and write-up. This post is offered at 100% FTE for 18 months initially and up to 5 years total. The estimated start date is 1st February 2025.
Working for our organisation
Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust provides a range of services including secondary mental health care across this area. Specialist provision comprises inpatient child and adolescent mental health services, perinatal mental health, and forensic services including low and medium secure care. The Trust also provides a range of physical health and well-being services in the community alongside a range of partners in the Lancashire, Cumbria and Sefton area.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Please see attached the job description and person specification for more information about this role.
Person specification
Qualifications
* Good honours degree in a relevant subject (or equivalent) with some knowledge of the subject area
* Evidence of relevant post qualification study at postgraduate level or equivalent knowledge
Knowledge
* Demonstrable knowledge of research design and methods including an understanding of the analytical process
* Knowledge and understanding of research governance regulations and guidance and associated good clinical practice
Experience
* Experience conducting research in mental health
* Experience of qualitative computer packages (e.g., nVIVO)
* Capacity to manage complex, sensitive, and highly confidential information
* The ability to undertake qualitative research including recruitment, data collection, and analysis
Please note that further communication from Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust (LSCft) will normally be to the email address given on the application form. You should also ensure that email addresses and telephone numbers are provided for your referees, to enable LSCft to contact them.
Please be aware the use of artificial intelligence (AI) when submitting an application is monitored, and if you have used AI to generate an application, you are required to declare this on your application form. AI-generated content may lack specificity and fail to address key criteria outlined in the job description. Personalisation is essential when submitting an application form to convey your skills, knowledge, and experiences effectively.
For all posts which require a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check please be aware of the Disclosure and Barring Service Code of Practice, a copy of which is available by logging on to the DBS website. If the post is subject to DBS disclosure, a charge will be made to the successful candidate(s).
You are advised to consider applying for LSCft vacancies as soon as possible as in some instances vacancies are closed as soon as a sufficient number of applications have been received. If you are not invited to interview within three weeks of the closing date then please assume that on this occasion you have been unsuccessful, as it is not possible to contact all unsuccessful candidates.
LSCft is committed to celebrating difference as an asset and we know that recruiting talent from diverse backgrounds helps to create a more flexible, creative and effective workforce. We actively challenge discrimination and welcome applications from people regardless of age, disability (particularly those with experience of accessing or caring for someone who has accessed mental health or learning disability services), ethnicity, gender, religion or belief or sexual orientation. Our goal is for the Trust to be truly representative of the communities we serve so we are particularly keen to receive applications from people in under-represented groups. If there is anything you’d like to discuss in relation to your application then please ask.
Employer certification / accreditation badges
You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
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.
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