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Job Opportunity: NIHR CRN Thames Valley & South Midlands: Mental Health Specialty Lead

The NIHR Clinical Research Network (CRN) supports patients, the public and health and care organisations across England to participate in high-quality research, thereby advancing knowledge and improving care. The CRN is comprised of 15 Local Clinical Research Networks and 30 Specialties who coordinate and support the delivery of high-quality research both by geography and therapy area.  CRN Thames Valley and South Midlands is the local network that supports a population of c2.4 million across Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Milton Keynes and Oxfordshire and is Hosted by Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

The post holder will lead the development of CRN TV&SM clinical activity within the Mental Health specialty, encouraging local clinicians to participate in NIHR Clinical Research Network Portfolio studies, building upon local clinical strengths and research interests and priorities. In particular the Clinical Research Specialty Lead will assist the Research Delivery Manager with the clinical perspectives of the delivery of the studies managed within the specialty and the development of the local infrastructure needed to support the specialty’s local portfolio of research studies. The post holder will engage with the National Specialty Leadership and contribute to national strategies and initiatives to support the successful delivery of the specialty’s national objectives and act as the key link between the national networks of specialty-specific expertise and the LCRN.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

  1. Provide clinical leadership, advice and accountability for specialty activities and performance, working closely with the LCRN Clinical Director, Research Delivery Manager, Clinical Research Leadership Group, Partnership Group, providers of NHS services, NIHR Clinical Research Network Coordinating Centre, NIHR CRN National Clinical Theme/ National Specialty Lead and specialty leads from other
  2. Engage with the local clinical research community within the relevant specialty  to ensure the timely and effective delivery of all the studies on the local NIHR Clinical Research Network Portfolio
  3. Proactively promote local clinical engagement and awareness of research within the specialty, providing advice, support, encouragement and mentorship to clinicians who express an interest in becoming involved in a research
  4. Work with the Clinical Research Leadership Group in delivering the objectives of the LCRN and in providing clinical leadership for the local delivery of NIHR CRN Portfolio studies. This will involve identifying local strengths, capacity and capability to ensure that the continued development of the local portfolio maximises patient focussed research opportunities for patients across all sectors of the LCRN
  5. Work with local investigators, NHS organisations and the LCRN management team to agree and report on the objectives and targets for the specialty in order to contribute to LCRN performance over the annual planning
  6. Provide a strategic overview of the local infrastructure required to support the clinical research specialty with an emphasis on identifying and addressing local blocks to successful delivery, referring issues to the National Clinical Research Specialty Lead and/or NIHR CRN Theme Leadership as
  7. Provide local intelligence to the national NIHR CRN Specialty/Clinical Theme Leadership, including: pressures/issues relating to the delivery of the portfolio; examples of good practice and positive impact in their locality; locally-led studies that are open to recruitment at new sites; emerging clinical needs; and unrepresented patient
  8. Be an active member of the National Specialty Group, attending national meetings and contributing to national initiatives led by the national Specialty Group. Where the portfolio of the National Specialty Group is significant, members might also be expected to take a national (and local) leadership role for part of the specialty’s national portfolio, or for some specific
  9. Work with and support NHS organisations within the LCRN area to maximise their involvement in NIHR Clinical Research Network Portfolio studies, with particular reference to industry
  10. Link with the NIHR local infrastructure (e.g. BRC, CLAHRC) to develop effective partnerships.
  11. Support the development of new ways of working that will increase the integration of health research and patient care, and improve the quality, speed and co-ordination of clinical
  12. Support the Research Delivery Manager to ensure the LCRN delivers in line with the LCRN Host Organisation
  13. Help to develop local research capacity for the specialty through actively seeking new opportunities for contributing to national multicentre studies and identifying local opportunities to expand expertise/experience across the LCRN’s
  14. Work with the Research Delivery Manager to undertake local feasibility assessments and reviews for commercial studies, including identifying  potential  sites/investigators that could conduct the study, assessing the available research  resources  including skills, facilities and equipment and provide robust recruitment
  15. Keep up to date with changes to national and local healthcare arrangements in order to advise the LCRN on new potential opportunities and/or challenges to the delivery of the NIHR CRN portfolio of
  16. Work in close collaboration with neighbouring LCRNs to remove artificial barriers to participation in NIHR CRN Portfolio
  17. Contribute to national CRN initiatives, in particular developing and sharing  best practice.
  18. To engage with NIHR Faculty including Senior
  19. Promote NIHR CRN activity and the aims, objectives and successes of the NIHR throughout the network area and represent the CRN at local, regional and national meetings.

ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS

The Clinical Research Specialty Lead will play a key leadership role in the ongoing development and performance of the LCRN and will provide the vital link between the local, geographically-based networks (LCRNs) and national networks of specialty-specific expertise which is essential to the success of the NIHR Clinical Research Network. Clinical Research Specialty Leads must be facilitative, able to work flexibly and effectively in a developing organisation and to motivate and support others to deliver measurable results that make the NIHR CRN vision a reality.

It is essential that candidates demonstrate their achievements,  ability  and  expertise against the following criteria:

  • A motivational leader with well-developed interpersonal skills and the  ability  to work with stakeholders at all
  • An effective facilitator who is able to bring colleagues together to work in a collegiate way for the overall benefit of the local community in which they
  • Excellent communication and presentational skills with the enthusiasm to act as a “champion”.
  • The influencing skills to achieve results through other
  • Strongly committed to bringing benefits to patients through the delivery of excellent patient focussed clinical research within the
  • Experience as a clinical investigator leading a multicentre clinical research
  • Experience of undertaking research in the
  • Ability to contribute constructively in meetings and appreciate both national and local aspects with a willingness to lead initiatives at both these

Candidates wishing to apply should submit the following:

·       A CV

·       A short (1 page) supporting statement giving examples of skills and knowledge to meet the requirements of the role.

If you have any queries, please feel free to contact Nick Thomas , Helen Collins or Val Woods for more information.

Applications should be sent electronically to: Kerry Harding, LCRN Support Officer.

Closing date for applications is 5​​​​​​​th June.  Late applications will be accepted up to 9th June.

Please note that this is an approximate 16 month post until 31st September 2024.  2023/24 will be the final year of the network’s fixed term contract and new arrangements will be in place with effect from 1st October 2024.