Senior Clinical Research Practitioner

at  The Christie NHS FT

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: The specific responsibilities will depend on the requirements of each team, but may include: Clinical Research Delivery & Co-ordination To act as a primary contact point for the clinical trial patients for defined clinical trials and act as adviser to other health care professionals. Interview, recruit, take informed consent and support patients and carers in clinical trials/studies. This involves educating patients on the trials involved, explaining the advantages and disadvantages of taking part in trials, whilst always remaining unbiased. Ensure the provision of optimal patient care by alerting appropriate clinical colleagues when referral to other members of the MDT may be required.
Be responsible for the safe and accurate collection of research samples and data, through clinical procedures such as venepuncture, and history taking, standard observations and other assessments including questionnaires, rated scales, qualitative interviewing as required by the protocol. Centrifuge, process, track and ship samples in line with protocol requirements Work with the clinical trials team and investigators to develop strategies to overcome barriers to recruitment and to solve other problems relating to specific studies Work with other departments within the Trust to ensure that trial specific investigations and procedures are undertaken as required by the trial protocol, to establish eligibility and safety of patients within clinical trials. Act as a key point of contact with the R&D core team, study sponsors, clinical research organisations and specific research teams. Manage the set up and initiation of allocated clinical trials within assigned Clinical Research Teams.
Where delegated to do so, set up and maintain study site files in accordance with GCP and Trust SOPs. Understand and deliver protocols in accordance with regulatory requirements Ensure all clinical trial activities are recorded in appropriate systems in a timely manner. Maintain adequate patient records and ensure all relevant information is documented in the patients notes. Oversee and complete case report forms and participate in monitoring visits as per sponsor requirements.
Ensure that all documents are archived in the appropriate way by following the Trusts archiving guidelines. Undertake general administrative tasks as delegated by managerial representatives from the R&D division to contribute to the smooth running of the patient recruitment teams. Attend research team meetings to maintain an overview of team activity. Awareness of trial specific, regional and national targets.
Identify and implement strategies for recruiting patients to clinical trials ensuring that targets for patient recruitment are delivered. Clinical Service Responsibilities Demonstrate awareness of divisional and trust strategic objectives including performance indicators and metrics. Escalation of governance issues impacting on delivery of job purpose. Participate in monitoring and audit activities within research team Management Provide induction support and training to new and existing clinical trials staff, including development of training sessions and guidance documents.
Encourage the sharing of best practice and dissemination of information through regular structured meetings with all trials administration staff. Assist with metric tracking for performance indicators including mandatory training requirements, divisional key performance indicators (i.e. time to recruiting first patient from NHS permission, patient recruitment to time and target), amendment timelines and divisional absences. PERSONAL AND PEOPLE DEVELOPMENT Maintain professional development whilst evaluating own specialist knowledge with assistance from their assigned line manager to satisfy the NHS Knowledge and Skills Framework.
Participate in and deliver Trust-wide education programmes and study days, regional and national meetings and research seminars as appropriate. PHYSICAL, MENTAL AND EMOTIONAL EFFORT Long periods of time spent using keyboard to input information and use of VDU for electronic communication. Prolonged concentration is regularly required (e.g. when checking through trial documentation and entering data into spreadsheets).
Occasional exposure to distressed circumstances as trial patients are commonly suffering from terminal illnesses

Please refer the Job description for details