Research Assistant in Palliative Care

Background and Context
PrimaryBreathe is a 5-year NIHR-funded programme that aims to develop and test a brief primary care intervention for the management of chronic breathlessness. Co-led by Professor Jonathan Mant and Dr Anna Spathis at the University of Cambridge, a team of sixteen co-investigators and several research staff are collaborating to deliver the programme from universities across five regions in England: Cambridge, Hull, Leicester, London and Norwich. The programme has international links with a team in Melbourne, Australia, who are developing Primary Breathe-Aus.

The programme comprises six individual studies within three workstreams; two cross-cutting themes focus on implementation and inclusivity. After completing a series of developmental studies, the programme team are currently commencing a randomised controlled trial recruiting 330 patients from primary care sites across England, with a parallel qualitative process evaluation.

This post (maternity cover) focuses on the qualitative process evaluation and is based in the Wolfson Palliative Care Research Centre. The Wolfson Centre is part of Hull York Medical School, within the Faculty of Health Sciences at University of Hull and based on the University of Hull campus. We conduct palliative care research, and aim to improve quality of life, wellbeing, and reduce inequalities in care. We are committed to involving patients, carers, families and local communities as active partners in shaping our research.

The Centre draws on the skills of researchers, clinical-academics and clinicians across the University and surrounding health care service partners to conduct world class palliative care research, particularly based in the community. The group is headed by Fliss Murtagh, Professor of Palliative Care. Expertise includes Palliative Medicine, Primary Care, Medical Sociology, Health Inequalities, Implementation Science, Global Health, as well as strong links with the Faculty of Health and Social Work.

The post-holder will work in an excellent environment, with a lively, innovative and enthusiastic group, committed to undertaking highest quality research and building research capacity for the future.

To discuss this role informally, please contact: Prof. Mark Pearson, Professor of Implementation Science (e-mail: mark.pearson@hyms.ac.uk).

Specific Duties and Responsibilities of the post
We would like to appoint an enthusiastic and self-motivated Research Assistant to join the Primary Breathe programme team at the University of Hull. The focus of this post will be conducting qualitative data collection and analysis in the North of England, including observations of patient clinical consultations and interviews with patients, carers, clinicians and GP Practice staff. Collaboration and coordination with study team colleagues at the University of Cambridge on project administration and management will be vital to ensure successful delivery of the process evaluation work package. Contribution to co-authorship of papers arising from the research commensurate with role played in data collection and analysis. We are looking for a proactive colleague with strong communication skills, who has experience in qualitative research methods and ability to effectively deliver project objectives. An interest in inclusivity is also important, as improving access to symptom management and avoidance of digital exclusion are programme priorities.

Research Assistant in Palliative Care

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