Job summary
All applicants must be able to demonstrate that they meet the essential criteria.
Applications are invited for a Band 4 Research Assistant, 37.5 hours per week, working within the Criminal Justice Liaison & Diversion and Reconnect services at Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust.
This is an exciting opportunity to support research, service evaluation and quality improvement across services working with people at different stages of the criminal justice pathway. Liaison & Diversion works across police custody, courts, probation and community settings, while Reconnect supports people before and after release from prison to improve continuity of care and engagement with community services.
Working under the guidance of the Research Project Manager, the successful candidate will support data collection and analysis, literature reviews, report writing, publications, ethical applications and presentation of findings.
We are looking for a self-motivated, organised and enthusiastic individual with strong communication, IT and data-handling skills and an interest in mental health, healthcare research and the criminal justice pathway. Applicants should be working towards an undergraduate degree or equivalent in psychology or another relevant area and be able to demonstrate research and data analysis experience.
If you are interested in using research and evaluation to improve services and outcomes, we would be pleased to hear from you.
Main duties of the job
This role is varied and will involve a combination of office-based and service-based working across Liaison & Diversion and Reconnect. It is not a remote post and will require travel to clinical, community and partner settings as needed.
Main duties will include:
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Supporting service evaluation, quality improvement and research projects.
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Collecting, cleaning, collating and maintaining quantitative and qualitative data.
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Maintaining accurate research records and databases and undertaking basic statistical analysis.
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Carrying out literature searches and reviews.
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Supporting the preparation of reports, publications, presentations and ethical applications.
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Assisting with questionnaires, interviews and other data collection activity where required.
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Communicating effectively with service users, carers, Trust colleagues and external partner organisations.
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Supporting the presentation and dissemination of research and evaluation findings.
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Organising and attending multidisciplinary meetings across NHS and non-NHS settings.
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Using Microsoft Office and other relevant research and data systems effectively.
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Ensuring information is collected, stored and handled in line with legal, ethical, confidentiality and data-sharing requirements.
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Working independently, using initiative and managing competing priorities within a changing programme of work.
Training and supervision will be provided, including Good Clinical Practice training where required.
Details
- Date posted: 27 October 2026
- Closing date: 10 November 2026
- Pay scheme: Agenda for change
- Band: Band 4
- Salary: £28,392 to £31,157 a year per annum, pro rata
- Contract: Permanent
- Working pattern: Full-time
- Reference number: 383-SPE-7857-26
- Job locations: Kingsway Hospital, Derby, Derby, DE22 3LZ, United Kingdom
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please see the information above and please review job description and person specification attached.
Person Specification
Qualifications & Knowledge
Essential
- Working towards an undergraduate degree or equivalent level qualification in psychology or another relevant subject.
- Good understanding of the research process, including data collection, analysis and reporting.
- Understanding of healthcare research governance, confidentiality, ethical requirements and data protection.
Desirable
- Working towards a postgraduate qualification in psychology, research or another relevant subject.
- Knowledge or understanding of mental health services and/or psychological processes.
- Knowledge of issues relevant to vulnerable populations, including self-harm and suicide prevention.
Skills & Experience
Essential
- Experience of collecting, managing and analysing quantitative and/or qualitative data, including use of Excel and/or statistical software.
- Experience of undertaking research, service evaluation or quality improvement activity, including literature searching and reporting findings.
- Strong written, verbal and interpersonal skills, with the ability to organise competing priorities and work independently.
Desirable
- Experience of working in a mental health service or healthcare environment.
- Experience of working directly with patients/service users, carers or other vulnerable groups.
- Experience of presenting research/evaluation findings or contributing to reports, publications, questionnaires or interview-based projects.
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.
About us
Join 'Team Derbyshire Healthcare' and become part of a talented, compassionate and enthusiastic workforce committed to a vision of 'making a positive difference in people's lives'.
CQC rated us as 'GOOD' overall, commenting on how our colleagues "treated patients with compassion and kindness" and "felt positive and proud about working for the trust."
Benefits include:
- Commitment to flexible working where this is possible
- 27 days annual leave/year plus bank holidays, increasing to 29 days after 5 years & 33 days after 10 years' service
- Yearly appraisal and commitment to ongoing training
- Generous NHS pension scheme
- Good maternity, paternity and adoption benefits
- Health service discounts and online benefits
- Incremental pay progression
- Free confidential employee assistance programme 24/7
- Access to our LGBT+ network, BAME Network and Christian Network
- Health and wellbeing opportunities
- Structured learning and development opportunities
Employer details
- Employer name: Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
- Address: Kingsway Hospital, Derby, Derby, DE22 3LZ, United Kingdom
- Employer's website: http://www.derbyshirehealthcareft.nhs.uk/