In this interview, Gonca speaks about her career spanning 10 years working in mental health research and her current role supporting the Count Me In research initiative.

Tell us about yourself, and what attracted you to working at Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust?

I have a background in psychology and previously worked in two mental health trusts in London. I’ve spent the last 10 years in mental health research, with some protected time for clinical work along the way.

My career started as a Research Assistant at a university before moving into the NHS where I worked mainly in Research Delivery Teams and eventually became a Research Delivery Manager.

When I was ready to return to work after 18 months of maternity leave, I came across the Research Recruitment Facilitator role at the Trust and joined in May this year.

I was drawn to the idea of supporting Count Me In, an initiative aiming to increase participation in research. Researchers can identify and contact patients about relevant research opportunities, unless patients have opted out of being contacted.

I’d read about the Count Me In pilot in 2021 and was excited about the fantastic results it had delivered. In just three months, over 8,000 patients became contactable demonstrating a 400% increase, with approximately 20% of those contacted consenting to participate.

Having spent a decade in research, I know how challenging recruitment to research studies can be. Count Me In struck me as a genuinely innovative way to make research more accessible for patients, help delivery teams meet targets, and a practical addition to supporting busy clinicians.

What is the focus of the work in your department?

The focus of my role is to relaunch the Count Me In initiative. The team and I have worked hard to relaunch in a short space of time. We’re now planning the next phase, which will focus on expanding Count Me In to other services within the Trust.

What does a day in your current job look like? What are you currently working on?

There have been several elements involved in launching Count Me In and working with colleagues across the Trust to make sure everything is in place and aligned. Liaising with other teams including Communications, IT, Clinical Systems, and Learning & Development has been a big part of my role.

Each day can vary, but it typically includes meetings to work through our project plan and preparing documentation such as staff guidance, public facing content for the website and training materials.

How did you get to where you are today?

After completing my BSc in Psychology and then MSc in Psychological Therapies, I started work as a Research Assistant at a university before moving into the NHS.

In a previous Research Delivery Manager role, I managed a diverse portfolio of studies including mood and psychosis, cognitive impairment and dementia, forensics, perinatal and Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS).

Alongside this, I’ve always looked for opportunities beyond my core role, whether that was spending protected time as an Assistant Psychologist delivering psychological interventions, getting involved with engagement work across the Trust to make services more research active and supporting staff in research training.

Who or what inspires you?

I draw inspiration from many people in my life, both personally and professionally.

Personally, my husband and our two daughters are a constant source of motivation. Watching my daughters grow, explore, and approach challenges with curiosity and kindness reminds me to stay patient, keep learning, and celebrate the small wins every day.

Professionally, I’m inspired by the many people I’ve worked with throughout my career, those who are passionate about making a real difference to patient outcomes and improving care.

I’m particularly motivated by leaders who create supportive environments where wellbeing and professional growth are valued alongside delivering results. Seeing this in practice encourages me to give my best while contributing to positive change for patients and colleagues alike.

If you were not in your job currently, what would you like to be doing?

My career plans were originally to become a Clinical Psychologist, and I’ve always enjoyed working clinically and delivering psychological interventions when I worked as an Assistant Psychologist.

If I hadn’t pursued a career in research, that’s the path I would have taken. Ideally, I would have liked to split my time between clinical practice and research, exploring new psychological interventions for psychosis.