Job summary
This role is a fixed term contract for three years, days a week supporting the Lead Research Nurse for Research & Development in leading the Clinical Trial Delivery Team at University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust. To provide leadership and line managerial support to the clinical research delivery team and specifically the Specialist Research Nurse/Practitioner team who are all part of the Research & Development department at the trust.
The applicant should be a dynamic and initiative-taking experienced senior nurse or AHP who has an extensive background of clinical research delivery at leadership and management level. They should also have extensive background of working in either an NHS Acute trust or Primary care.
Main duties of the job
The role will also incorporate working closely with the Senior Leadership Team in Research and Development at University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust to ensure the safe and ethical implementation of clinical research trials in accordance with trust policy, GCP (Good Clinical Practice), EU Clinical Trials Directive and the NHS Research Governance Framework.
The role will require the successful applicant to ensure a quality, client driven service to all clinical trail participants across the patient reach of University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust based on expert practice and act as a role model to facilitate the aims of the National Institute of Health Research (NIHR) for the Southwest as well as for the trust.
They should also have a proven track record of delivering clinical trials in an NHS setting with a focus on continuous improvement.
About us
We are a people business - where every member of staff matters and can make a difference. Patients are at the heart of everything we do. Joining University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust means becoming part of a team of dedicated staff, who are committed to leading the way through innovation, clinical excellence and great customer care. The Trust has great opportunities for career development in a highly progressive working environment. We offer all of this in a vibrant, modern city with a historic reputation for adventure. PLEASE NOTE THAT ALL COMMUNICATION WILL BE ELECTRONIC, PLEASE CHECK YOUR EMAIL ACCOUNT REGULARLY. If you have any issues with applying online and need additional support including reasonable adjustments with the application process please contact the recruitment team on 01752 432100. We recognise that work life balance is important for our colleagues and so we invite requests from applicants around less than full time/flexible working for our advertised roles. Please contact the recruiting manager to discuss this prior to your application submission. We commit to giving this full consideration in each case. We encourage people from diverse backgrounds to apply for our roles, as diversity strengthens our teams. It is sometimes necessary to close vacancies before the closing date. If you have not heard from us within 4 weeks of the closing date, please assume that you have not been shortlisted.
Job description
Job responsibilities
PRIMARY DUTIES & AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY:
1. To ensure effective working relationships with Research & Development (R&D) Senior Leadership Team, (R&D Clinical Director, R&D Operations Director and Lead Research Nurse), Research Nurse/Practitioner Specialist team, wider Clinical Trial Delivery team, R&D Clinical Educator, R&D Data and Admin teams, as well as R&D function teams such as finance, operations and governance in order to lead the Clinical Trial Delivery team (circ 84 staff) reporting to the Lead Research Nurse.
2. To ensure good relationships and communication are maintained with stakeholders such as the NIHR (National Institute for Health and Social Care Research), HEIs (Higher Education Institutions), partners across the integrated care pathway, Senior managers and colleagues across the trust.
2. The post holder will be responsible for recruiting to and line managing the research specialist nurse/practitioner Band 7 team (circa 9 staff) who lead clinical trial delivery teams to ensure the trials that UHP is supporting are conducted to the highest standards.
3. This post will be supporting the R&D Senior Leadership team ensuring that exacting standards are met with our clinical delivery team, training, and systems.
COMMUNICATION AND WORKING RELATIONSHIPS:
5. Establish and maintain good working relationships within the Clincal Trial Delivery team to ensure they are working to the current R&D strategy.
4. Support the R&D Senior Leadership Team with strategic and annual plans for supporting research growth across our region, consulting to maximise research capacity and capability.
7. Able to report complex data sets to the R&D Senior Leadership Team on clinical trial delivery team performance, that is driven through the Edge software system and R&D dashboard.
5. Promote a blame free culture in reporting incidents and liaise where appropriate with the R&D Governance manager, R&D QA Manager, R&D Clinical Educator, and wider Governance teams in UHP.
KNOWLEDGE & EXPERIENCE:
9. Maintain awareness of current advances in research and/or nursing/AHP practice using this knowledge to maintain the highest standards of research and clinical care for the staff working in R&D.
10. Develop policy, SOPs (Standard Operating procedures), miantain good workforce planning as required for the Clinical Trial Delivery team in line with these advances.
6. To have a thorough knowledge and understanding of safeguarding procedures and is knowledgeable with respect to safeguarding triggers and risks so they can advise as needed to the wider clinical trial delivery team.
12. Function as an expert resource for the clinical trial delivery team and role model for all aspects of Research Clinical Practice.
7. Able to recognise the limits of their expertise and ensure that issues they feel are out of scope of their role are appropriately escalated to the Lead Research Nurse and/or R&D Senior Leadership team in a timely manner.
8. Demonstrate professional development and an in-depth knowledge of clinical trial delivery, supplying specialist advice where needed to patients and their carers/families about their participation in clinical trials.
ANALYTICAL/JUDGEMENTAL SKILLS:
15. Monitor and plan in advance the the clinical trial delivery team workload across the team and manage team performance, ensuring good management of the clinical trial portfolio (circa 500+ studies) using digital tools to ensure good planning and implementation of clinical trial delivery of UHP portfolio of studies.
9. Lead on projects relating to the involvement of the clinical trial delivery team as well as wider projects that may support the wider R&D department.
10. Can implement and develop innovative models of care and effective patient /volunteer pathways within the clinical trial delivery team ensuring research participants receive the best service.
PLANNING & ORGANISATIONAL SKILLS:
11. In conjunction with the R&D Senior Leadership Team participate in business planning cycle, identifying areas of service development focusing on the aspects that concern the Clinical Trial Delivery team and their delivery to the portfolio of studies on behalf of the trust.
19. Able to reccommed changes or improvements to improve clinical trial delivery team performance to delivering the UHP portfolio of clinical trials in line with GCP (Good Clinical Practice) and trust policy.
SERVICE & POLICY DEVELOPMENT:
20. Ensure that education is a strong theme for the clinical trial delivery team as a whole. Advise on gaps in training and learning opportunities and working with the R&D Clinical Educator, QA Manager and Lead Research Nurse to develop strategies to overcome these.
12. Liaise with other members of the multidisciplinary team to ensure that patients and volunteers that are treated within a clinical research trial receive seamless care throughout the development of protocols and pathways.
PHYSICAL/EMOTIONAL/MENTAL EFFORT:
13. Manage any patient and/or carer/family complaints or concerns and where possible resolve these concerns, ensuring transparent feedback and support to individuals as needed, ensuring that any responses are aligning to trust policy.
23. Able to concentrate frequently for complex and intricate work and for long periods when subject to unpredictable working patterns (, frequent interruptions for urgent safety investigations).
24. Able to deal with complex and unpredictable situations and successfully manage divergence of opinion within groups and/or on an individual basis.
FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY:
14. Work with procurement as needed to ensure equipment and supplies used by the clinical trial delivery team is available and reviewed regularly for compliance to audit standards and replaced as needed.
15. Oversee the ordering of clinical research supplies as needed for the outpatient clinic the James Lind Research Clinic and the Mobile Research Units.
16. Able to work within departmental budgetary constraints with financial responsibility.
RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT:
17. Support colleagues across the trust as needed with their own academic research and signpost to relevant areas that can support them.
18. Support with wider objectives of the trust by contributing to Preceptorship training, induction of staff into the trust and R&D department and Chief Nurse Fellowship programmes.
19. Provide mentorship to those wishing to carry out their own research in the trust ensuring that they are signposting to others who can also support their work as appropriate.
20. Work across the clinical trial delivery teams role modelling the continuous improvement ethos by supporting change and encouraging staff to work towards excellence in their roles.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
21. Current registered nurse or allied health professional registered with the NMC or HCPC.
22. Relevant Healthcare Degree.
23. Research Training (GCP, degree module, informed consent).
24. Management or Leadership Qualification.
Desirable
25. Master's level qualification in a field relevant to healthcare and/or clinical research.
Knowledge
Essential
26. A good working knowledge of the Research Governance Framework and the International Conference on Harmonisation Good Clinical Practice Guidelines.
27. Extensive experience of clinical research in an NHS or Primary Care setting.
28. Broad and recent clinical experience relevant to the post.
29. Line management and leadership within the NHS.
30. Experience of delivering commercial/non-commercial and academic research.
31. In-depth knowledge of clinical trial delivery and research methodologies.
32. Knowledge of the NIHR high level objectives and portfolio performance management.
Desirable
33. Previous experience working in a leadership role at this level in a research setting.