Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust (RSFT) is seeking an exceptional individual with extensive, demonstrable experience and highly developed research and communication skills to help us deliver the fifth pillar of the Trust’s Clinical Strategy. This is an incredibly exciting time to join the R&D team at RSFT, with a new senior leadership team and plan to undertake a major strategic development piece across R&D. Consequently, this role is an exceptional opportunity to develop one’s career, leadership skills, experience of commercial research and the life sciences industry, while contributing to major growth in our research output for the benefit of both staff and patients.
The Lead Nurse/Practitioner/AHP post holder will support the teams to deliver high quality research opportunities for participants and the development of the research role and education across the Trust. As Strategic Commercial Research Lead across the Trust, you will be responsible for increasing and improving our engagement with and delivery of commercial research, with support from the R&D Senior Management Team and wider Trust senior leadership.
This is an excellent opportunity for a talented and highly-motivated individual who thrives on the challenge of working in the NHS/R&D environment.
You will be joining a dynamic team that is maintaining healthy progress on our strategic initiatives and delivery of quality research to our patients. You will be responsible for the implementation of the strategy and business plans for the R&D departments with particular attention to the expansion of our commercial portfolio, service delivery and performance management.
We have an excellent relationship with, and host, the NIHR South East Regional Research Delivery Network for Kent, Surrey and Sussex (SERRDN)
Excellence in clinical research is a key priority for RSFT and an important enabler for the achievement of excellence and realisation of the Trust’s strategic objectives.
For further information please refer to the job description and person specification.
Royal Surrey is a compassionate and collaborative acute and community Trust. Recognising that our 5000 colleagues are our greatest strength, we offer a comprehensive health and wellbeing program along with a commitment to developing and advancing your career. Our diverse and welcoming Royal Surrey family will ensure you that you feel valued from your initial interview through your entire tenure.
We are clinically led and provide joined up care by bridging the gap between hospital and community services alongside regional specialist cancer care. Our main acute hospital site is in Guildford with community hospital sites at Milford, Haslemere and Cranleigh. We provide adult community health services in homes across Guildford and Waverley.
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) have given us an overall rating of Outstanding.
Royal Surrey has a strong reputation and history to build on. We are proud of our achievements and we are investing in our colleagues through our commitment to supporting professional development as well as investing more than £45 million in our physical environment and new equipment in the next few years. There has never been a better time to join us.
Although it isn’t the Trusts normal practice, adverts may close early, so you are encouraged to submit an application as soon as possible.
A video about the Royal Surrey - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R96pMboIYdo
To work collaboratively with the Triumvirates, Associate and Professional director of R&D divisional research leads, other members of the MDT, the R&D Research Governance team and coordinating teams in the planning and provision of clinical research.
To liaise with the relevant support services i.e. pharmacy, radiology, outpatients etc. within the trust to facilitate research studies in these areas and to advise on protocol requirements and time lines in line with sponsor requirements.
To ensure that all clinical studies are set up and run in accordance with ICH GCP (Good Clinical Practice).
To identify barriers to recruitment and develop action plans to overcome the barriers.
Contribute to the management of the local portfolio.
Provide information as required to support budgetary decisions for clinical trials.
Working closely with the R&D management team, contributing towards the overall strategic direction of research departments, including developing strategy documents, policy, SOPs and business planning.

Deputise for R&D ADO, head of R&D and research matron to attend and contribute to relevant steering committees, strategy and departmental meetings to ensure and facilitate research delivery and to ensure research presence and awareness on all agendas.

• Able to engage in a highly complex communication. Proactively build and establish excellent working relationships with Industry partners to provide a single point of contact service to address and remove barriers to timely study site set up and acting as a point of contact for issue escalation which can be sensitive and contentious.
• To manage triumvirate portfolio reviews, with the clinical leads, to ensure studies are assessed for feasibility and appropriate recruitment targets are agreed.
• Provide performance reports to the Divisional Research Lead that include, Financial summary, predictions, activity reports and business planning
• To take responsibility for liaising with sponsors regarding queries and for checking and resolving queries in a timely manner for NIHR adopted projects
• Liaise with investigators and delivery teams to ensure they have sufficient capacity and resource to carry out new research projects.
• Continual review of resources and analysing protocol requirements to ensure accurate assessment of requirements for studies and reporting this back to R&D for resource/workforce issues/strategies.
• Offering expert advice in ways to improve systems and processes in order to combat barriers to setting up sites and providing a better level of service to study sponsors.

Clinical
As research lead you will drive the delivery of clinical research studies, ensuring strong leadership and an effective change management strategy.
Work with the Principal Investigator’s, relevant delivery and support teams to ensure that trial specific investigations and procedures are deliverable, within given time lines, as required by the protocol
To ensure high quality, research-based, individualised care is maintained at all times.
To contribute to continuing implementation of changes to improve best practice within the Royal Surrey County Hospital NHS Foundation trust.
Participate in regular meetings with the PI, immediate research delivery teams and support services to discuss relevant trial activity and issues.
Liaise with outside agencies, e.g. Pharmaceutical companies and regulatory authorities relating to clinical trials.
Support accurate and timely recording and reporting of adverse events in compliance with the protocol, regulations and local policy.

Supporting CAPA completion as required

• To act as a leader, advisor and role model to less experienced staff.
• Act in a consultant capacity providing specialist information and support across specialties to research delivery staff.

The post holder will support the Research Matron for the delivery of research/CRP/AHP nursing throughout the Trust, promoting best practice by ensuring strong leadership and an effective change management strategy, designed to enhance care of participants involved in research.
Work clinically when required in different specialties as a resource i.e. seeing patients in clinic, observation, phlebotomy etc.
Working with the teams to ensure and maintain accurate patient trial documentation, complete Case Record Forms, including the use of electronic data capture systems and ensure relevant information is recorded in patients’ medical notes

Strategic Responsibility

• Working with the research leads, AD of R&D/Professional Director, Executive lead for R&D, Head of R&D and Research Matron and other Trust St senior leaders to provide leadership to the Department to ensure the effective delivery of research studies
• Contribute and be part of the R&D SLT to lead the delivery and development of the Trust Research and Development Strategy, ensuring that all strategic plans are incorporated into service plans and objectives for staff.
• Work with the SMT to develop a culture within the Trust and in allied departments in which all staff are research aware or active and delivering high quality clinical research services.
• Review and redesign services to meet the needs of clients and enable the Department to achieve its key performance indicators.
• Develop robust mechanisms to ensure the clear communication of service plans, objectives and service changes within the Department, ensuring all staff are engaged directly in any review and development of services

Identifying opportunities for clinical research, the delivery of all income targets and is continually improving the quality of services to clients and redesigning services to meet best practice standards, improving efficiency and effectiveness with available resources.
For further information please refer to the full job description and person specification

Please refer the Job description for details