Research Nurse

Somerset NHS Foundation Trust; Yeovil; On-site; GBP 25,000 - 35,000; Full time

Job summary

A prominent NHS organisation in Yeovil is seeking a Research Nurse to support the management and delivery of clinical trials. In this role, you will coordinate and monitor research activities, ensuring compliance with regulations and safeguarding participant rights. Ideal candidates will be Registered Healthcare Professionals with strong communication and collaboration skills, committed to high-quality research delivery. Offered benefits include flexible working and career development opportunities, adding to a comprehensive support structure for staff.

Benefits

Flexible working options

NHS pension scheme

Generous annual leave allowance

Career development opportunities

Qualifications

• Recent experience in General Medicine, Surgery, Mental Health, or Community Care.
• Ability to evaluate research significance and apply evidence to practice.

Responsibilities

• Recruit patients and families to research studies and provide support.
• Ensure compliance with UK and EU legislation and Trust policies.
• Coordinate, deliver, monitor, and document care for clinical trials.

Skills

Strong communication skills

Data collection and documentation

Ability to work collaboratively

Education

Registered Healthcare Professional

Job description

The Research Nurse plays a vital role supporting the management and delivery of clinical trials involving patients, families, and carers at Somerset Foundation NHS Trust. The position focuses on the safe and effective delivery of research studies, including NIHR portfolio projects and industry‑funded trials, in collaboration with the Regional Research Delivery Network South West Peninsula (RRDN SWP).

You will help deliver the NIHR's objectives locally by ensuring the Trust meets its research delivery targets. Working as a key member of the research team, you will coordinate, deliver, monitor, and document the care and progress of patients participating in clinical trials.

Key Responsibilities:

Recruit patients and families to research studies, providing comprehensive support throughout their involvement.

Ensure all trial activities comply with UK and EU legislation, Trust policies, Good Clinical Practice (GCP), and regulatory requirements.

Protect the rights, safety, and wellbeing of all participants.

Work collaboratively with multidisciplinary teams to facilitate high‑quality research delivery.

Main duties of the job

The Research Nurse supports the safe and effective delivery of clinical research within Somerset NHS Foundation Trust, including NIHR portfolio and industry‑funded studies.

Working as part of a multidisciplinary research team, the post holder is responsible for coordinating, delivering, and monitoring research activities involving patients, families, and carers.

Key duties include recruiting participants, obtaining informed consent, and providing ongoing support throughout the research process. The role ensures compliance with UK/EU legislation, Trust policies, Good Clinical Practice (GCP), and regulatory standards to safeguard participant rights and wellbeing. Responsibilities cover planning and organising study visits, collecting and managing accurate data, processing samples, and maintaining trial documentation.

The post holder liaises with investigators, sponsors, clinical teams, acting as a key contact for patients and staff. Additional functions include promoting research awareness, supporting governance processes, contributing to training, and embedding research into routine care. Flexibility, attention to detail, and adherence to ethical and safety standards are essential to meet research delivery targets and uphold the Trust's commitment to high‑quality, patient‑centred research.

About us

At Somerset NHS Foundation Trust, we’re committed to supporting our employees with a range of benefits designed to enhance your professional and personal life. We offer:

• Flexible working options to help you balance work and life
• NHS pension scheme for long‑term financial security
• Generous annual leave allowance to recharge and relax
• A strong focus on career development to help you grow and achieve your potential

Additionally, you’ll gain access to our Blue Light Card, unlocking exclusive discounts on shopping, dining, and leisure activities, as well as NHS‑specific perks to support you both inside and outside of work.

We are proud to foster a diverse, skilled, and inclusive workforce, and we encourage applications from all backgrounds.

Why Somerset? Somerset offers the perfect blend of idyllic countryside, outstanding areas of natural beauty, and breathtaking coastlines, with vibrant cities like Bristol, Bath, and Exeter just a short drive away - and only two hours to London.

The region is home to excellent educational facilities, and with affordable housing compared to other parts of the country, it’s a great place to build both your career and your future.

Somerset truly has it all - the peaceful countryside and cosmopolitan city life, with something for everyone to enjoy.

Job responsibilities

Department: Department of Clinical Research

Base: Musgrove Park Hospital / Yeovil District Hospital

Why this role matters

Clinical research changes lives. As a Research Nurse/Practitioner at Somerset NHS Foundation Trust, you’ll help bring cutting‑edge studies to patients across Somerset--supporting trials sponsored by the NIHR and industry partners--so that evidence‑based care reaches the bedside faster. You’ll be a trusted point of contact for patients and families throughout their research journey, ensuring every study is delivered safely, ethically, and to the highest standards.

About the Department

Our Clinical Research Department provides research governance, management, delivery support, and advice across the Trust. We operate two closely connected functions--Research Governance and Research Delivery--working as one team with a clear vision: to support groundbreaking research with our partners to improve the health of our communities, and a mission to embed a culture of research excellence where all colleagues can contribute and develop as research specialists.

Role overview

You will coordinate, deliver, monitor, and record the care and progress of patients involved in research studies and clinical trials, working as an integral member of a multidisciplinary team. You’ll recruit participants, obtain informed consent, and provide comprehensive support to patients and carers throughout their involvement.

The post focuses on the safe conduct of NIHR portfolio and industry‑funded research, collaborating closely with the Regional Research Delivery Network South West Peninsula (RRDN SWP) to meet local research delivery targets. This role is funded within the RRDN SWP network structure overseen nationally by the NIHR.

You’ll ensure all trial activities comply with UK/EU legislation, Trust policies, Good Clinical Practice (GCP), and regulatory requirements--protecting participants' rights, safety, dignity, and wellbeing at all times.

Key responsibilities

Participant engagement and care

Provide clear, compassionate information to patients and carers about study protocols, procedures, treatments, and followup; obtain informed consent and act as a consistent point of contact for trial participants.

Safeguard participant autonomy by ensuring sufficient information is provided during consent and that privacy and dignity are always respected

Conduct study visits and assessments in strict accordance with protocol and Trust policy; interpret results to assess care needs and refer to other health professionals when appropriate.

Study delivery and data quality

Plan and organise study activities, ensuring protocol adherence and GCP compliance; maintain meticulous attention to detail across paper and electronic data capture (EDC) systems.

Collect, verify, and enter data into Case Report Forms and study databases; answer data queries within agreed timescales and archive data per GCP requirements.

Process, prepare, store, and dispatch biological samples safely; complete all related documentation accurately at specified time points

Report Serious Adverse Events (SAEs) promptly; support required study documentation including protocols, amendments, advertisements, and approvals.

Collaboration and communication

Liaise with Principal Investigators, study sponsors, Clinical Research Associates/Monitors, trial managers across sites, and local clinical teams; present study updates at departmental or ward meetings as needed.

Maintain effective crosscover with research colleagues to ensure continuity of trial delivery during leave or sickness

Build strong relationships with the Clinical Trials Pharmacy, diagnostics services, GPs, and other practice staff to facilitate seamless research delivery.

Governance, safety, and improvement

Adhere to ICHGCP, Trust SOPs, policies, and Clinical Governance requirements; promote health, safety, and security by identifying risks, attending essential training, and following agreed procedures.

Contribute to progress reports and updates to the Lead Research Nurse, Research Team Lead, Research Manager, and Assistant Managers throughout each project.

Seek patient and carer feedback and support the embedding of research as part of routine clinical care across the Trust.

Clinical skills (with training)

Undertake phlebotomy; perform ECG, spirometry, and centrifuge use where required by protocols (training provided).

Within scope of practice and competency, administer study medication or teach patients to self‑administer, monitoring for toxicity in line with protocol.

Operational flexibility

Work flexibly to meet study needs, with occasional activity outside normal hours to maintain protocol integrity.

Travel across Trust locations and to offsite meetings or training as required.

What you'll bring

Registered Healthcare Professional with recent experience in General Medicine, Surgery, Mental Health, or Community Care; strong communication skills (verbal and written).

Ability to evaluate research significance, apply evidence to practice, and follow protocols with high accuracy--balancing data integrity with sensitive, person‑centred care.

Confidence with data collection, electronic systems, and documentation; proactive approach to recruitment strategies and embedding research in routine care.

Calm under pressure, an excellent listener, and a collaborative teamplayer who organises time effectively and multitasks with attention to detail.

Willingness to undertake physical aspects of the role (e.g., phlebotomy, data entry) and to work across different Trust locations when needed.

You’ll receive a thorough induction and training in research methodology, design, audit, and GCP, with opportunities to expand disease‑specific knowledge and develop new clinical and research skills. You’ll also help train and support colleagues involved in studies, contributing to a culture of continuous improvement and clinical governance.

Governance, equality, and safeguarding

We are committed to equality of opportunity for staff and service users. You’ll work in line with our E&D policies, safeguarding responsibilities for children and vulnerable adults, and confidentiality standards under the Data Protection Act (2018) and Trust policies. You’ll participate in clinical governance and infection prevention and control, promoting a safe environment for patients, colleagues, and visitors.

What success looks like in this role

High‑quality, patient‑centred research delivery that meets NIHR and sponsor timelines.

Flawless documentation and data integrity, with timely resolution of queries and safe sample handling.

Strong, collaborative relationships across clinical teams, pharmacy, diagnostics, investigators, sponsors, and the RRDN SWP.

Positive feedback from participants and carers; measurable contribution to embedding research across the Trust.

Contract type / hours / salary: 37.5 hours, permanent post, working days are Monday to Friday.

Reports to: Research Team Lead.

Responsible for: Research delivery within the Department of Clinical Research.

How to apply

If you’re motivated by improving patient outcomes through research, we’d love to hear from you. Please submit your application via NHS Jobs, outlining how your skills and values align with this role. Shortlisted candidates will be invited to interview, where we’ll explore your experience of patient‑centred research delivery, data accuracy, and collaborative working.

A note from our team

You’ll join a welcoming, supportive department where curiosity and compassion drive everything we do. Whether it’s guiding a patient through consent, processing samples to exacting standards, or collaborating with sponsors to keep studies on track, your work will make a real difference--today and for years to come.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Registered Healthcare Professional
• Must be able to communicate in English Language, both written and verbally appropriate to the post.
• Please see the attached JD

Experience

• Please see the attached JD
• Please see the attached JD

Additional Criteria

• Please see the attached JD
• Please see the attached JD

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.