IRS Urgent Care Practitioner

Lancashire Care Foundation Trust; Preston; Hybrid; GBP 30,000 - 37,000; Full time

Job summary

A healthcare organization in Preston is seeking experienced Band 6 Nurses, Social Workers, or Occupational Therapists to join the Initial Response Service team. This is an exciting opportunity to support individuals experiencing mental health crises. The role involves triage assessment, referral screening, and direct support for both clients and colleagues. Flexible working patterns are encouraged, promoting a positive work/life balance. If you have the qualifications and a commitment to support mental health recovery, apply now.

Benefits

Flexible working hours

Support for work/life balance

Inclusive workplace

Qualifications

• Experience working in mental health services.
• Ability to work flexible hours in shifts.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.

Responsibilities

• Provide triage and referral screening for callers.
• Assess and direct individuals to appropriate services.
• Support and mentor call handlers and administration team.

Skills

Crisis intervention

Referral screening

Triage assessment

Support for mental health

Education

Relevant healthcare qualification

Job description

Base Locations

Avondale, Royal Preston Hospital, Ormskirk District General Hospital – positions available at either base.

Initial Response Service Overview

Come and join our Initial Response Service team. This is an exciting time to be part of the crisis pathway and support people with mental health to ensure they access the most appropriate support at the right time.

The new service offers:

• A single referral point for GPs and other professionals
• A 24‑hour telephone advice and support for people who use services and carers to be able to self‑refer. We offer mental health triages/assessments over the phone or face to face.
• More responsive crisis services with improved experiences for people who use services, carers and professionals.
• We work together as a team, we support one another in everything that we do. As we are a 24 hour service we are open to flexible working patterns if needed.
• IRS is the front door to services and anyone from GP, professionals, can call and the clinicians have the capacity to respond within hours giving great customer service which gives great job satisfaction for the clinicians.

Why Join Us

There has never been a more exciting time to join our Trust. You will be part of delivering a significant transformation to the way services are accessed and delivered. We are looking for experienced Band 6 Nurses, Social Workers or Occupational Therapists to join our expanding team.

Service Details

The service is 24/7 but as a Triage Practitioner you will be working a shift pattern within our teams based in Preston based at Royal Preston Hospital and will include referral screening, triaging, signposting and supporting the call handlers and administrators team, who provide information and support over the telephone.

Shift times and days are negotiable and can be discussed at interview. We are looking for people who are dedicated to promoting recovery, and who can inspire people experiencing mental health and their families that recovery is possible for everyone.

Diversity & Inclusion

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.

Flexible Working

LSCFT supports 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, home/remote working, and flexi‑time.

Recruitment Pack & Application

For further information about the role, please see the attached recruitment pack which includes a detailed job description and person specification, or visit our website via Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS FT.

This advert closes on Tuesday 27 Jan 2026.