Job summary
The NHS is changing. More emphasis on community-based care means there's never been a better time to join us.

We are looking for an enthusiastic and adaptable Clinical Research Practitioner to join our professional team on a secondment basis until 31 March 2027. Please note this is for 15hrs part time. Interviews will be held 09 November 2026.

We're a close team but we're never exclusive, if you can bring a professional approach and fresh ideas we would love to hear from you.

Please note, this vacancy does not meet the criteria for skilled worker sponsorship and therefore, we are unable to accept applications from candidates that cannot provide documentary evidence of right to work in the United Kingdom.

Main duties of the job
Could you use your skills and experience to support the NHS to deliver great patient care? Great patient care needs great people to support clinical teams. That's where you come in.

We're always looking for enthusiastic, responsive, and adaptable people to join our outstanding trust. This role is an important one as you'll be using your knowledge, experience and expertise to provide support to our hard-working frontline NHS teams.

We put patients first and we expect all of our colleagues to do the same, so although NHS experience isn't a requirement for this role you'll need to share our passion for delivering excellent patient care and keep that passion at the forefront of your professional activity at all times.

The challenges come thick and fast in this role but you'll know that your input is contributing to the excellent experience our patients and service users have every day.

About us
Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust is currently undertaking a significant programme of transformation to align our community services to the new Neighbourhood Model of care delivery, there will be a period of consultation which may result in changes affecting some services, teams or roles. Depending on the area you are applying to work in, this could include potential changes to your role, work base, reporting arrangements, or terms and conditions of employment. Any changes would be subject to consultation and managed sensitively and in line with relevant employment processes. Please do contact the recruiting manager if you have any concerns about this so they can answer any questions you might have.

Rated 'Outstanding' by CQC, we deliver high-quality care that improves the health of our communities. We are looking for people who share our values: Compassionate, Aspirational, Responsive and Excellent.

We are proud to be an inclusive, welcoming organisation and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds. We use protected characteristic information for monitoring only and it is not seen by recruiting managers, except where applicants choose to be considered under our disability guaranteed interview scheme.

We know life outside work matters. As a flexible working-friendly organisation, we welcome conversations about arrangements that help you thrive while supporting excellent care for our patients.

Details
Date posted: 20 October 2026
Pay scheme: Agenda for change
Band: Band 6
Salary: £39,959 to £48,117 a year per annum pro rata
Contract: Secondment
Working pattern: Part-time
Reference number: 846-8193225-UJ-2
Job locations: Home, TN25 4AZ, United Kingdom

Job responsibilities
As a community Trust, many of our roles require individuals to be able to drive to perform their duties. Where driving is a requirement of the role, you will be asked to confirm that you hold a full UK driving licence or a full driving licence issued by an EU country (not exchanged from a non-EU country) to proceed with your application. We are committed to supporting candidates with disabilities into employment. If you are unable to drive due to a disability, please contact the Recruitment Team via kentchft.recruitment@nhs.net, quoting the vacancy reference number, so we can support you further.

The job description and person specification gives you all the information you need about this role. Please look carefully at the criteria in the person specification and tell us what you have done that shows you meet this in your application. If you need an application form in an alternative format please let our recruitment team know. All information you supply on your application should, to the best of your knowledge, be true and accurate.

Still have questions? The recruiting manager would love to hear from you, their contact details can be found in the job advert.

We can get a lot of applications for some roles so to be in with the best chance of being shortlisted please make sure you apply as soon as possible. A vacancy may close early if there is a lot of interest in the job.

At KCHFT we strongly encourage colleagues in clinical and non-clinical roles who have direct or social contact with patients to be fully vaccinated. In this way we will be doing all we can to ensure your safety and that of your colleagues and the patients we serve.

Find out more about the community difference here.

Good luck! We can't wait to meet you and welcome you to #teamKCHFT, #cometocommunity.

Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential

• Educated to Diploma/Degree or equivalent experience
• Competency in use of Microsoft Office
• CRP Accredited

Desirable

• Teaching qualification or experience
• Higher degree/formal study of research design/methodology in clinical or social care setting

Experience
Essential

• Experience in the conduct of clinical trials
• Experience of working in/with NHS clinical specialty team

Desirable

• Research project management experience
• Experience in the community setting

Specialist knowledge and experience
Essential

• Knowledge of clinical research infrastructure in UK
• Knowledge of the role of a Clinical Research Practitioner

Desirable

• Knowledge of principles of informed consent for participation in research
• Knowledge of Information Governance and Data Protection
• Knowledge of Principles of Good Clinical Practice (GCP)
• Knowledge of UK Medicines for Human Use (Clinical Trials) Regulations 2004 that implement EU Clinical Trials Directive
• Knowledge of Research Governance Framework
• Knowledge of legislation regarding safety reporting and pharmacovigilance

Skills
Essential

• Ability to plan, initiate, manage and deliver trials/projects to completion
• Keyboard skills, writing, speaking to a range of internal/external stakeholders, groups, staff of all grades including Trust Directors.
• Can travel independently and in a timely way to all sites and patient homes
• Ability to communicate with staff of all levels
• Able and willing to develop new skills
• Ability to organise own diary and time management

Desirable

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, searching and training skills
• Clinical skills, requiring precision, such as taking blood, cannulation and injections.
• Confident in ability to use clinical equipment to assist in the assessment and treatment of patients.
• Ability to work in continuing altered conditions, which are sometimes difficult with little space and access to usual clinical support such as in a patient's home.
• Communicating and interviewing patients

Personal attributes
Essential

• Ability to apply a common sense and logical approach to identify key or underlying issues in difficult situations and use initiative to solve problems
• Excellent Communication skills - both verbal, non-verbal, written and presenting

Desirable

• Able to think strategically
• Collaborative working across Multiple agencies

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.

Employer details
Employer name: Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust
Employer's website: https://www.kentcht.nhs.uk/

Employer contact details
For questions about the job, contact: Research & Development Manager, Karen Thorogood, karenthorogood@nhs.net

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