Research Assistant in the Department of Health Services and Population Research (x2)

The RECOLLECT 2 study team, led by Professors Mike Slade and Claire Henderson, is dedicated to shaping recovery-oriented mental health services that enhance overall well-being. Committed to influencing policy and practice, we prioritise the development of evidence-based assessment measures for both clinical use and research studies.

In 2021, our first RECOLLECT work package revealed 88 institutions devoted to fostering recovery. Expanding on this work, we conducted a global initiative in 2022, engaging with 174 colleges across 28 countries.

Now, we're delving into RECOLLECT 2, focusing on assessing the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of Recovery Colleges. This collaborative endeavour involves institutions such as King’s College London, University of Nottingham, University of Manchester, South London, and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, ImROC, and Peter Bates Associates.

The purpose of the job is to undertake RECOLLECT 2 study tasks under supervision from the study co-ordinator and from Dr Henderson (Co-PI). The post holders will be based in the Department for Health Service and Population Research at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience. However, there will also be travel to Recovery College sites in England for data collection.

RECOLLECT is a five- year programme of work funded by the NIHR (Grant reference NIHR200605) to study the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of Recovery Colleges and to identify how Recovery Colleges can be optimised to maximise the benefit they confer to patients with mental illness. Recovery Colleges provide adult education to mental health service users, carers and staff, to support personal recovery (living as well as possible) and the recovery orientation of staff and affiliated services (supporting illness self-management and community participation). They are run jointly by mental health professionals and people with personal experience of mental illness.

RECOLLECT is a mixed-methods study informed by a theory-based approach to evaluation. The theory-based approach seeks to identify the expected relationships between multiple service components and potential outcomes, while considering contextual factors potentially influencing the relationship between the intervention and outcomes. Further information about the study is available at: https://www.researchintorecovery.com/research/recollect/

The post-holders will work closely with collaborators, including the University of Manchester and University of Nottingham. They will bring and further develop experience in different research methodologies. They will undertake recruitment and data collection involving people using mental health services and Recovery College staff and managers. The post-holders will also consolidate transferable skills, including Good Clinical Practice and project management. They should be attentive to detail. Career development support will be offered.

The posts will be of particular interest to someone with mental health service research experience and an established academic record. The ideal candidates will have a strong commitment to recovery (whether developed through personal experience of mental illness and recovery or through previous work in the area) and be able to show evidence of their ability to engage creatively and productively with mental health service users and staff.

The posts will be offered on an a fixed-term contract for 12 months. Posts are available between 0.8 FTE and 1.0 FTE, subject to negotiation and agreement.

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