Research Assistant (PIPPA)

This is an exciting opportunity to work on an NIHR-funded study which will investigate the feasibility of using a parenting intervention with parents with psychosis - The PIPPA study (Parenting Intervention for Parents with Psychosis in Adult mental health services).

PIPPA is led by Dr Lynsey Gregg and Dr Anja Wittkowski and will start in May 2023. This role will be of particular interest to psychology graduates with an interest in adult mental health and in mental health research. The role will involve a wide range of research activities and the use of standardised clinical assessments (e.g. PANSS). The post holder will work directly with, and be supervised by, experienced academic staff at the University of Manchester, including clinical psychologists.

The main role of the research assistant is to liaise with local adult mental health services to identify and recruit participants to the PIPPA study and to conduct assessments with parents taking part in the study in the form of clinical interviews and questionnaires. Assessments will be conducted in the community (in participants’ homes) and online.

The post holder will receive training in conducting quantitative psychological assessments, qualitative interviews and in managing risk and will benefit from regular supervision. Training in data management and analysis will also be given, as appropriate.

The main purpose of this post is to recruit participants into the study and conduct pre-treatment and post-treatment assessments of participants in order to evaluate whether the intervention works.

The trial will be conducted across two NHS sites, Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust and Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust, and the post holder will be expected to travel between and within these sites.

Research

• Conduct comprehensive literature searches
• Synthesise previous/current research evidence
• To assist in the implementation of a research project
• To undertake recruitment, data collection, analysis, the production of reports and summaries, using IT and statistical programmes
• To undertake protocol based psychological assessments of clients applying self-report measures, rating scales, direct and indirect structured observations and semi-structured interviews with service users, family members and others involved in the service user’s care
• To organise and co-facilitate focus groups with service users, relatives/carers and health professionals
• Preparation of study materials, such as interview and focus group topic guides

Governance

• To attend and contribute to appropriate multi-disciplinary meetings, steering groups and other forums as appropriate.

Management

• Set up systems to ensure efficient management of own workload, under the guidance of Project & Trial Manager/CI
• Set up and manage databases if required

IT responsibilities

• Utilise IT to support report writing, data input and analysis, and
• Demonstrate compliance with Trust & University of Manchester policies on data usage and storage, including Health & Safety at Work

General

• To undertake specific administrative duties as required
• To perform other duties of a similar kind appropriate to the grade, which may be required from time to time

Working environment

• Primarily either the University of Manchester or The GMMH Trust (Rawnsley building) but will be required to visit other NHS and community sites
• Required to comply fully with all Health & Safety Regulations in relation to maintaining safe working environment