Clinical Research Nurse

The Christie NHS Foundation Trust; Manchester; On-site; GBP 32,000 - 42,000; Full time

Job summary

The Christie NHS Foundation Trust in Manchester invites applications for a Band 6 Nurse to join the Haematology Research Team. This role coordinates a diverse portfolio of haematology clinical trials, from early to late phase, and delivers high quality patient care within research protocols.

As post holder you will screen and recruit participants, coordinate patient pathways, administer systemic therapies per protocol, monitor adverse events, and maintain accurate research documentation.

Qualifications

• Registered nurses with experience in haematology and/or oncology nursing.
• Excellent communication, organisational and prioritisation skills.
• Previous clinical research experience is desirable.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate and manage the haematology research portfolio across all trial stages.
• Screen and recruit participants and coordinate patient pathways.
• Administer systemic anti-cancer therapies per protocol and monitor adverse events.
• Maintain accurate and timely research documentation and ensure regulatory compliance.
• Provide patient-centred care and work within a multidisciplinary team.

Skills

Registered Nurse

Haematology

Oncology

Clinical research

Education

NMC Registration

Job description

We are seeking an enthusiastic and motivated nurse to join our Haematology Research Team. This Band 6 role involves the coordination and delivery of a diverse portfolio of early- and late-phase haematology clinical trials.

The post holder will take delegated responsibility for the management and delivery of assigned studies, ensuring that trial protocols are implemented safely and in accordance with regulatory and governance requirements. Responsibilities will include screening and recruiting participants, coordinating patient pathways, administering systemic anti-cancer therapies in accordance with study protocols, monitoring and managing adverse events and maintaining accurate and timely research documentation.

Applicants should be registered nurses with experience in haematology and/or oncology nursing, with effective communication, organisational and prioritisation skills. You should be able to work both independently and collaboratively as part of a wider multidisciplinary team. Previous clinical research experience is highly desirable.

This post provides an excellent opportunity to develop specialist research skills and experience within a supportive and established Haematology Research Team. We are committed to supporting continued professional development and encourage informal discussions and visits from prospective applicants.

Main duties of the job

The post holder will play a central role across all stages of the haematology research portfolio, including feasibility assessment of new clinical trial opportunities, trial set-up and activation, patient recruitment and ongoing management, data query resolution and review of protocol amendments. You will provide a patient-centred perspective, supporting participants and the wider research team throughout the clinical trial pathway.

Working closely with the multidisciplinary team and wider services, you will ensure that patient safety and wellbeing remain central to trial delivery. You will work within applicable regulatory and governance frameworks, including ICH-GCP and Trust SOPs, and contribute to monitoring and evaluating patient experience to support consistently high standards of research care.

The role will also contribute to raising the profile of clinical research and clinical trials within the Trust and externally, including participation in research engagement and promotional activities and supporting relevant divisional, Trust and national research objectives.

The ideal candidate will have excellent communication and interpersonal skills, strong organisational and prioritisation abilities, and a high level of motivation. You will be able to work autonomously within your scope of practice while contributing effectively to a multidisciplinary team delivering high-quality, innovative haematology research.

Working for our organisation

The Christie is one of Europe’s leading cancer centres, treating over 60,000 patients a year. We are based in Manchester and serve a population of 3.2 million across Greater Manchester & Cheshire, but as a national specialist around 15% patients are referred to us from other parts of the country. We provide radiotherapy through one of the largest radiotherapy departments in the world; chemotherapy on site and through 14 other hospitals; highly specialist surgery for complex and rare cancer; and a wide range of support and diagnostic services. We are also an international leader in research, with world first breakthroughs for over 100 years. We run one of the largest early clinical trial units in Europe with over 300 trials every year. Cancer research in Manchester, most of which is undertaken on the Christie site, has been officially ranked the best in the UK.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Clinical Research Co-ordination

• Work autonomously in all areas of practice relating to clinical research.
• Understand and deliver care in accordance with regulatory approved clinical research protocols.
• Understand the process for obtaining NHS permissions (R&D approval) for conducting clinical trials at site. As project lead, ensure permissions are in place prior to any patient recruitment.
• Participate in clinical trial feasibilities and risk assessments of clinical trial protocols.
• Ensure all clinical trial activities are recorded in appropriate systems in a timely manner.
• 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.
• Delegation and oversight of research related activities to research team members (clinical and administrative) and ensure compliance with SOPs and ICH/GCP.
• Arrange and facilitate clinical trial related meetings.
• Involvement in appropriate financial remunerations for clinical trial activity.

Clinical Service and Professional Responsibilities

• Assimilation of highly complex information relating to clinical trials and communication to patients at a level appropriate to their understanding. Ensure highly sensitive information is communicated to patients, relatives, and carers regarding prognosis
• Contribute to the development, implementation, and review of specialist care pathways in conjunction with appropriate personnel.
• Demonstration of expert knowledge in specialist area to maintain clinical excellence.
• Demonstrate awareness of divisional and trust strategic objectives including performance indicators and metrics.
• Escalation of governance issues impacting on delivery of job purpose.
• To act as a primary contact point for the clinical trial patients and act as adviser to other health care professionals.
• Responsibility for maintenance and development of professional knowledge and practice by attending mandatory and specialist training in accordance with local policy.
• Ensuring care delivery standards in accordance with trial protocol, local policy, NMC Code of Practice Conduct and current best practice.
• Development and maintenance of a high-quality service by:
  • Overseeing the safe administration of all licensed and unlicensed medicinal products within the context of a clinical trial.
  • Overseeing assessment and evaluation of treatment toxicities and initiation of appropriate intervention.
  • Contribute to development of specialist Standard Operating Procedures and guidelines.
• Provide education and support for non-research staff in the delivery of protocol driven treatment for all patients.
• Participate in monitoring and audit activities within research team
• To carry out non-medical prescribing within scope of professional practice and in accordance with local policies and procedures and national legislation (optional and depending on clinical service needs).

Personal Education, Training and Development

• Maintain professional development whilst evaluating own specialist knowledge and practice through a process of appraisal and personal development planning.
• Promote the role of the clinical research nurse as an integral part of the healthcare system.
• Increase and maintain awareness of current advances in cancer treatments, research and nursing practice thereby maintaining the highest standard of care for patients with cancer and implementing evidence-based care by continuing professional development.
• Participation in trust-wide education programmes and study days.
• Obtain clinical supervision as appropriate.
• To keep up to date with departmental, Trust, UK and EU developments for the management of clinical research ensuring timely, effective implementation of changes. Attendance at team and divisional meeting

Staff Management and Development

• To Support the Senior Clinical Research Nurse in the induction and continued supervision of junior members of staff, ensuring compliance with regulatory compliance and legislation.
• Support the development of specialist study days within own research team.
• Assist in the provision of specialist education and training in relation to clinical trials to all key stakeholders.
• Disseminate information by attendance and /or presentations at local, national and international conferences /meetings
• Contribute to the development of members of the research team

EU DIRECTIVE ICH/GCP

All personnel involved in clinical research have a responsibility to ensure that clinical trials are conducted in accordance with the EU Directive and ICH/GCP.

Person specification

Qualifications

• Registered General Nurse - Currently registered with the Nursing & Midwifery Council
• First Degree or relevant clinical experience
• Post-graduate qualification in oncology and/or clinical research
• GCP/ICH recognised recent training

Experience

• Experience of oncology nursing
• Experience of working autonomously and as part of a Multi-disciplinary team
• Ability to demonstrate evidence of service improvement
• Experience of working in a clinical research environment

Skills

• Highly effective communication skills
• Advance organisational skills
• Good written and analytical skills
• Able to manage work autonomously and manage own workload
• Demonstrable IT Skills – able to use Word, PowerPoint, Excel and Outlook
• Intra-venous access and cannulation skills administration of IV chemotherapy

Knowledge

• Knowledge of the clinical trial process
• Knowledge of ICH-GCP & research governance framework
• Knowledge of professional and NHS issues and policy relating to specialist area
• Knowledge of Research Ethics Committees
• Knowledge of the purpose of clinical research

VALUES

• Ability to demonstrate the organisational values and behaviours

OTHER

• Maintain professional development and have an awareness of current nursing issues
• Demonstrates flexibility in working hours

The closing date for this post may be extended if there are insufficient applicants or brought forward if there is a high volume of applicants.

Application Information - If you have not heard from us within four weeks of the closing date, I regret that on this occasion your application will have been unsuccessful.

Sponsorship Information

We are an approved sponsoring organisation. Applications will be considered from applicants requiring sponsorship alongside all other applications. Please be aware, not all roles are eligible for sponsorship. You can review the list of eligible role and requirements on the government website.

Pre-Employment Checks

• Identity verification
• Right to work check
• Disclosure and barring service (DBS)/Criminal record check (dependent on role, payment of this will be the applicants responsibility)
• Professional registration and/or qualification check
• Occupational health assessment
• Employment history and reference validation

All applicants external to The Christie NHS Foundation Trust will be required to provide their HMRC employment history to cover the most recent three years employment. This information will used to validate employment history andreferences.

If you require sponsorship, we will assess your eligibility based on current government guidance. If the role is not eligible and you cannot demonstrate your right to work, your conditional offer may be withdrawn.

If You're Offered the Role - you will be agreeing to The Christie NHS Foundation Trust transferring the information contained in this application to its preferred applicant management system. If you are offered a job information will also be transferred into the national NHS Electronic Staff Records system. Please note, all communication regarding your application will be made via email, please ensure you check your junk/spam folders as emails are sometimes filtered there.

The Inter-Authority Transfer (IAT) process is a critical and beneficial component of ESR and will form part of the recruitment process. In the event that you are successful following interview your previous NHS employment data, if applicable will be transferred from your current / most recent employer.

No Smoking Policy

You should be aware the Trust operates a No Smoking Policy and therefore employees are not permitted to smoke at work.

Additional Information

We want to ensure that everyone who works at the Christie or uses our services is welcomed, valued and treated with dignity and respect. The Christie values diversity and is committed to ensuring equal opportunities for all and fair representation across the organisation at all levels. In support of these commitments, we particularly welcome applications from Black, Asian and other ethnic minority people and people with disabilities for this post. Appointment will be only on merit.

We are committed to creating a balanced and diverse workforce. As such we welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds. Together we will foster inclusion and tackle inequity and health inequalities in cancer care.

As users of the disability confident scheme, we guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the vacancy.

The Christie NHS Foundation Trust is committed to the highest standards of ethical conduct and integrity in all our activities. We have a zero-tolerance approach to modern slavery in any of its forms, including slavery, servitude, forced or compulsory labour, and human trafficking. We are fully committed to acting ethically and with transparency in all our business dealings and relationships, and to implementing and enforcing effective systems and controls to ensure modern slavery is not taking place anywhere in our organisation or supply chains.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Name: Richard Dudley-Jenkins

Job title: Senior Clinical Research Nurses

Email address: [e-mail]

Telephone number: 0161 918 7248

Additional information: or Vanessa Ellis on [e-mail]