IRS Mental Health Practitioner | Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust

Lancashire Care Foundation Trust; Lancaster; On-site; GBP 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A regional health service provider in Lancaster is seeking experienced practitioners for multiple roles in its Initial Response Service. The position involves assessing patients at referral and guiding them to appropriate community services, managing both mild and acute mental health issues. Ideal candidates will have experience in mental health care and a strong ability to assess risk in a fast-paced environment. The service encourages diversity and supports flexible working arrangements.

Benefits

Flexible working arrangements

Supportive team environment

Diversity and inclusion initiatives

Qualifications

• Experience working in mental health services.
• Ability to handle urgent referrals and assess risk.
• Confident in assessing individuals with varying degrees of mental health difficulties.

Responsibilities

• Assess patients at the point of referral to identify appropriate services.
• Triage and screen referrals based on clinical judgment of risk.
• Work alongside police to support patients in community settings.

Skills

Triage and assessment skills

Clinical judgment

Ability to work under pressure

Knowledge of mental health pathways

Job description

The Initial Response Service (IRS) launched in the Bay in 2023 and since then it has consistently demonstrated itself to be an integral part of secondary mental health services; we've improved access to mental health services for individuals who need it, whilst reducing demands on care and treatment delivery services. In the most recent CQC report, the IRS was identified as a source of positive change in how mental health services are delivered in Lancashire and South Cumbria.

Forget caseloads and case management. In the IRS your skills and expertise will be in assessing patients at the point of referral and identifying what service will best meet their needs moving forwards. The spectrum of mental health needs vary significantly; you will have the ability to offer advice and guidance for mild to moderate mental health issues and ways this can be managed and improved. Equally, you'll have the ability respond to urgent referrals with more acute needs and higher risks in the community.

If you require more details about the role or an informal chat please contact us on the details provided.

• Ability to use your skills to triage and assess individuals with varying degrees of mental health difficulties over the phone and/or face to face in the community.
• Identify community services that are most appropriate for presenting need (third sector, CMHT, HBTT, and Talking Therapies).
• Act as shift lead, screening referrals and prioritising them based on your clinical judgment of risk and need.
• Working alongside the police to support patients and implement care when they are at risk of being held under s.136 of the MHA.
• Fast paced environment and supportive developing team.

We want to hear from practitioners who are experienced in the field of mental health, and its care and treatment pathways (including third sector service). We need confident practitioners with an ability to assess risk and respond to it appropriately in a fast paced environment.

Fancy the challenge? IRS for the Bay have multiple roles available in the team so come along and join the team.

LSCFT values diversity and inclusion, recognising that talent from varied backgrounds creates a flexible, creative, and effective workforce. We actively challenge discrimination and welcome applications from all, regardless of age, disability (including those with experience of accessing or caring for someone who has accessed mental health or learning disability services), ethnicity, gender, religion, belief, or sexual orientation.

Our aim is to reflect the communities we serve, so we particularly encourage applications from under‑represented groups. If you’d like to discuss your application, please ask.

We also welcome individuals with lived experience relevant to the role or service area, as your insight brings authenticity to our services.

LSCFT support flexible working, we believe that a positive work/life balance benefits NHS employees through improved health and wellbeing. We would consider working patterns such as term time, part time, compressed hours and flexi‑time.

For more details on this vacancy please review the attached job description and person specification.

This advert closes on Sunday 21 Dec 2025.