Physical Activity and Leisure Co-ordinator

LSCft; Preston; On-site; GBP 28,000 - 31,000; Full time

Job summary

Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust (LSCFT) seeks a Physical Activity and Leisure Co-ordinator at Guild Lodge, Whittingham near Preston. You will lead physical activity and leisure interventions to support recovery and wellbeing for service users, in a secure inpatient setting while working with a multidisciplinary team.

This Band 4 role offers full-time hours (37.5) with a salary of £28,392–£31,157 per annum and a commitment to staff development and flexible working patterns

Qualifications

• NVQ4 or equivalent in Sports Science or working towards this qualification.
• GCSE/level 5 or above in English and Maths or equivalent.
• Understanding of Allied Health Professionals and role in mental health recovery.

Responsibilities

• Deliver physical activity, exercise, health promotion and leisure interventions.
• Support assessment of service users' activity needs and goals with MDT.
• Monitor progress and contribute to recovery-focused care planning.
• Encourage healthier lifestyles and meaningful occupation for service users.

Skills

Communication

Teamwork

Networking

Education

NVQ Level 4 or equivalent in Sports Science or related

GCSE English and Maths (level 5) or equivalent

Job description

Physical Activity and Leisure Co-ordinator

Band 4

Main area Recovery and Resillience Grade Band 4 Contract Permanent Hours Full time - 37.5 hours per week Job ref 351-BAY1108-SH

Site Guild Lodge Town Preston Salary £28,392 - £31,157 Per Annum Salary period Yearly Closing 29/10/2026 23:59

Our Vision is to provide the best mental health, learning disability, autism, community, and physical health services for the populations we serve.

As an integrated Trust, Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust (LSCFT) delivers a comprehensive range of services, including:

• Primary and secondary mental health care for children and adults, including specialist inpatient child and adolescent mental health provision, perinatal mental health, and forensic services with low and medium secure care.
• Specialist mental health inpatient care for individuals with learning disabilities, alongside specialist community support for children and adults with learning disabilities and autism, including intensive support.
• Extensive community physical health and well-being services for children and adults, covering prevention, treatment, rehabilitation, and long-term condition management.

The Trust was first established in 2002 and employs approximately 7,500 staff who provide care from more than 400 sites. The organisation offers opportunities for medics, mental health, general nurses, children’s nurses, allied health professionals, psychology, administration and clerical staff, apprentices and volunteers, as well as those specialising in learning disabilities and community physical health services.

An exciting opportunity has arisen to join our friendly and dynamic team based at Guild Lodge, an established Secure Inpatient hospital, at Whittingham near Preston. We are seeking an enthusiastic and motivated individual to be part of our Allied Health Professional (AHP) team. You will be supporting the physical health, wellbeing, and recovery of service users through the delivery of meaningful physical activity, exercise, health promotion, and leisure programmes.

We have a range of excellent and bespoke facilities and opportunities for services users - which includes a large Therapeutic Resources Centre, Sports Hall, outdoor pitch and gymnasium. We also have links within the community and are close to the countryside.

We always support and encourage our staff through personal development and appraisal and value the importance of regular supervision. This is an excellent chance to join a fantastic, motivated team!

Main duties of the job

Physical activity and exercise play a vital role in improving physical health, enhancing mental wellbeing and supporting recovery. Participation in meaningful physical activity can improve fitness, reduce the impact of long-term health conditions, increase confidence and self-esteem, promote social inclusion, and support individuals to achieve their personal goals and aspirations.

Working directly with service users, the post holder will support the delivery of physical activity, exercise, health promotion and leisure interventions that contribute to improved physical and mental wellbeing. Through individual and group-based approaches, the post holder will encourage and motivate service users to adopt healthier lifestyles, increase their levels of physical activity, and engage in meaningful and purposeful occupation.

The post holder will work collaboratively with Physiotherapists, Occupational Therapists, Nursing Staff and the wider multidisciplinary team to support the assessment of service users' physical activity needs, identify strengths and goals, deliver interventions, monitor progress and contribute to recovery-focused care planning.

Working for our organisation

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.

The wellbeing of our people is at the heart of everything we do. We offer a wide range of resources, tools and support to help you thrive both in and out of work.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

For more information about this post please review the attached job description and person specification attached.

Person specification

Qualifications

• NVQ level 4 or equivalent diploma/degree e.g. Sports Science or working towards this qualification
• GCSE/level 5 or above in English and Maths or equivalent.

Knowledge

• Ability to demonstrate understanding of Allied Health Professionals. - The client group which the post holder with work. Eg. Mental health difficulties. - The benefit and value of physical activity
• Ability to network with other agencies
• Good communication both written and verbal

Experience

• Previous experience of working with people who experience mental health difficulties with an understanding of the roles of other professions within the multi-disciplinary team
• Previous work in a team
• Experience facilitating a group exercise class

You are advised to consider applying for LSCFT vacancies as soon as possible as in some instances vacancies are closed as soon as a sufficient number of applications have been received. If you are not invited to interview within four weeks of the closing date then please assume that on this occasion you have been unsuccessful, as it is not possible to contact all unsuccessful candidates.

Please note that further communication from LSCFT will normally be to the email address given on the application form. You should also ensure that email addresses and telephone numbers are provided for your referees, to enable LSCFT to contact them.

Please ensure that you read the person specification as your application will be measured against this document.

If you use AI to assist with your application, you must declare this. Undeclared use may result in withdrawal. Please ensure your application reflects your own skills and experiences. While AI tools can assist, they may produce generic or inaccurate content. We encourage you to provide personal examples that demonstrate how you meet the essential criteria.

For all posts which require a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check please be aware of the Disclosure and Barring Service Code of Practice, a copy of which is available by logging on to the DBS website. If the post is subject to DBS disclosure, a charge will be made to the successful candidate(s).

Employer certification / accreditation badges

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.