Job Number
BU03514
School/Department
North Wales Medical School
Grade
6
Contract Duration
until 30 September 2026
Responsible to
Director of NWCPCR
Applications will also be considered to carry out this role on a job share basis.
Committed To Equal Opportunities
The Project
A pragmatic randomised controlled phase III trial of ThinkCancer!: a novel behavioural intervention for primary care teams to promote earlier cancer diagnosis with embedded process and economic evaluation. Cancer outcomes in the United Kingdom (UK) are poor in comparison with many other developed countries and the UK’s five-year relative survival rates are below the European average across all cancer types.
Delays in patient care are a major contributor to this, with patients who experience delays likely to have longer diagnostic intervals and lower rates of cancer survival. Timely diagnosis is therefore key to improving cancer outcomes; policy initiatives embrace new approaches. Around 60% of cancers present to primary care in the UK with almost half (49%) of avoidable delays in cancer diagnosis occurring in primary care. This picture has worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic. Great variations in early diagnosis strategies exist between different General Practitioners (GPs).
ThinkCancer! aims to assess the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of the ThinkCancer! intervention in primary care and to undertake a process and economic evaluation.
Purpose of the Job
To be responsible for the set-up, co-ordination and delivery of the ThinkCancer! phase III randomised controlled trial (RCT) and to support Professor Wilkinson and the trial manager.
Main Duties and Responsibilities
1. Support the trial manager with the day to day running of the trial.
2. Assist the trial manager in gaining relevant study approvals.
3. Recruitment of general practices.
4. Recruitment of research participants.
5. Data collection.
6. Work in adherence to current GCP and GDPR guidelines.
7. Preparation of study documents.
8. Contribute to written outputs including reports to funders and publications in peer reviewed journals.
9. Contribute to conference proceedings including presentation of study findings.
Other Duties and Responsibilities
10. The post holder will be expected to participate in performance review and developmental activities.
11. The post holder will be expected to comply with the University’s equality policies and statements, Dignity at Work and Study Policy and the University’s Welsh Language Scheme.
12. The post holder has a general and legal duty of care in relation to health, safety and wellbeing and must take all reasonable steps to ensure a safe and healthy working environment for him/her self and for other members of staff, students and visitors affected by his/her actions or inactions. The post holder is also required to comply with all applicable health and safety policies, procedures and risk assessments.
13. The post holder must comply with relevant legal and financial policies and procedures and be aware of their responsibilities in terms of the legal requirements of their posts.
Person Specification
Qualifications/Training
Essential
14. A good first degree (upper second class or higher) in a relevant subject.
Desirable
15. A higher degree in a relevant subject.
16. A current Good Clinical Practice certificate
Experience/Knowledge
Essential
17. Experience of working within a team.
18. Experience of working on own initiative, managing and prioritising own workload.
19. Experience of delivering projects to target.
20. Understanding of confidentiality and data protection.
21. Understanding of research methodologies relevant to the post.
Desirable
22. Experience of working within a multidisciplinary research team or large organisation.
23. Experience of working in research specific to primary care or cancer.
24. Experience of randomised controlled trials.
25. Experience of writing for publication or contributing to funding applications.
26. Experience of report writing and preparing presentations for dissemination.
27. Experience of recruiting research participants, collecting data and managing complex data sets in health or social care settings • Evidence of publication in peer reviewed journals.
Skills/ Abilities
Essential
28. Excellent generic research skills.
29. Excellent writing skills.
30. Excellent organisational skills; able to manage own work and ability to work without direct supervision, prioritising own workload to meet tight deadlines and meet project targets.
31. Ability to work under pressure and assume responsibility and use initiative.
32. Excellent communication skills at a range of levels conveying information in academic and non-academic contexts.
33. Excellent IT skills.
34. Able to make good relationships with colleagues and to work well as part of a team.
Desirable
35. Ability to use appropriate databases and software packages.
36. Understanding of research processes.
Other
Essential
37. Driving licence or alternative ability to travel to various locations as needed to undertake the duties of the role successfully.
38. Ability to demonstrate an understanding of the bilingual nature of the institution and the area.
39. This post is subject to a satisfactory enhanced Disclosure & Barring Service check.
Desirable
40. Ability to communicate in Welsh.
General
We are a member of Advance HE's Athena SWAN Gender Equality charter and hold a Bronze award in recognition of our commitment to and progress towards gender equality within the University's policies, practices, and culture. We are proud to be a Disability Confident employer.
All members of staff have a duty to ensure their actions are in line with the overall environmental aims of the University and minimise their environmental impact.
All offers are made subject to proof of eligibility to work in the UK and receipt of satisfactory references.