Assistant Psychologist - clinical research

at  Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust

We are seeking an Assistant Psychologist to join the Oxford Cognitive Approaches to Psychosis clinical psychology research group. You will help in our conduct of randomised controlled trials testing new psychological interventions for people diagnosed with psychosis, including trials testing Feeling Safer and Sleeping Better.
These comprise a range of face-to-face and digital cognitive behavioural interventions. You’ll have a key role in recruiting patients and conducting the clinical assessments. You’ll also work to increase the inclusivity of the Feeling Safer intervention particularly for people from Bangladeshi, Black African, and Black Caribbean backgrounds.
In the Sleeping Better trial, we are testing the effects of our cognitive-behavioural sleep intervention for both patients diagnosed with psychosis and young people who are at ultra high risk of developing psychosis. In the Feeling Safer trial, a new six-month guided online programme for the treatment of persecutory delusions is being tested. We aim to achieve substantially improved outcomes for patients in NHS services.
This role will provide excellent experience of engaging individuals at the early stages of psychosis; conducting clinical assessments; working within NHS services; and clinical trials methodology. The post would suit individuals interested in going on to pursue a career in clinical psychology or clinical research. We particularly welcome applications from people from under-represented groups.
This is an exciting opportunity to join the Oxford Cognitive Approaches to Psychosis (O-CAP) team based in the Department of Experimental Psychology. We are a large clinical research team working to understand why mental health problems happen and how they can be best treated psychologically. The team comprises approximately 30 people, including clinical psychologists, project coordinators, VR computer scientists, research assistants, DPhil students, and administrators. The key focus is on improving outcomes for patients with psychosis.

Help in our conduct of randomised controlled trials testing interventions for people diagnosed with psychosis. This will include the Sleeping Better Trial and Feeling Safer Trial. These comprise both face-to-Face and digital cognitive behavioural interventions. This is an exciting opportunity to join the projects.
Each trial will be conducted in NHS mental health services at six sites across England and Scotland. Each site, which will closely work together, will comprise established site leads, a clinical/counselling psychologist, an assistant psychologist, and research assistants.
Each trial will comprise a team of over 40 people. You will have a key role in recruiting patients from the local NHS mental health trusts and conducting the clinical assessments.
You will work within the policies, procedures, and guidelines for the Trust. Although based at Oxford, the ability to travel between trust sites is a requirement
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, clinics and people’s homes, 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
To help organise and facilitate co-design workshops with community groups and individuals with lived experience of psychosis from Bangladeshi, Black African, and Black Caribbean backgrounds.
Screening and recruitment of patients diagnosed with psychosis and patients at ultra high risk pf psychosis. This will involve speaking to referrers regularly, attending clinical team meetings, visiting community mental health teams, hospital wards, as well as home based treatment teams. There will be monthly recruitment targets for all studies. The post-holder will be joining a team of research assistants to help meet these targets.
Completing eligibility screening assessments and seeking informed consent from patients.
Carrying out the assessments for the trials. The trial patients will be assessed on a range of measures at a number of time points for each study. You will need to arrange these interviews and administer clinical interviews, assessment tasks, and self-report questionnaires.
Participants will be seen in clinic settings or at home across a large geographical area. Patients are seen in multiple NHS trusts including: Oxford Health, Northamptonshire Healthcare, Berkshire Healthcare, and Central Northwest London (Milton Keynes).
Assessments will be carried out blind (i.e. you should not know which condition the patients have been randomised to). You will need to remind staff and patients not to tell you the allocation. And you will need to report if you have become unblinded.
It will be crucial to maintain very high follow-up rates for the trial participants, meaning you will need excellent engagement skills.
Good record-keeping will be needed, including updating medical records with trial progress and managing recruitment databases.
Follow standard operational procedures for the trial and NHS Trust policy regarding safeguarding of vulnerable adults and children.
Produce regular reports on the recruitment process and assessment
Please refer to the job description attached for a comprehensive list of dutie