Ward Staff Nurse

LSCft; Preston; On-site; GBP 32,000 - 39,000; Full time

Job summary

Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust is recruiting a Staff Nurse with a special interest in elderly care. The role is based on Longridge ward, currently at Cuerden Ward, Chorley Hospital, a 15-bed unit providing high quality care for adults with sub-acute needs.

You will join a multidisciplinary team, lead with compassionate care, support discharge planning, and deputise for the ward sister when required. Registered nurse with current NMC registration is essential.

Qualifications

• First level registered nurse qualification (RN, RGN) – diploma/degree level.
• Current professional registration with NMC.
• Understanding of clinical governance and ability to make clinical decisions.

Responsibilities

• Work as part of the 24-hour ward-based nursing team, providing high quality holistic care to patients.
• Undertake assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation of evidence-based nursing care.
• Supervise the team in the absence of the ward sister and deputise when required.

Skills

Interpersonal skills

Clinical decision making

Leadership

Education

First level registered nurse (RN/RGN)

NMC registration

Job description

Site Longridge Community Hospital Town Longridge, Preston Salary £32,073 - £39,043 per annum (subject to confirmation) Salary period Yearly Closing 09/11/2026 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 for a Staff Nurse with a special interest in the care of the elderly. Longridge ward is currently based at Cuerden Ward Chorley Hospital and is a 15 bedded unit that focuses on providing high quality care for patients from within the local adult population with sub‑acute health care needs. We are a step down facility that supports recovery and recuperation following medical and surgical illness and also provides palliative care and manages the planning of complex discharge packages.

We are looking for an experienced, dynamic nurse to join our well established multidisciplinary team. You will need to be committed to delivering a high standard of care and support change management. The successful candidate will be an excellent communicator who will motivate, inspire, promote patient safety whilst supporting the ward team to achieve targets; this will be achieved through the provision of visible leadership, ensuring a high profile and presence on the ward.

You will be an advocate for our patients, able to identify changes in need and be instrumental in planning for their current and future care. You will provide clinical and professional leadership for a ward based team of registered nurses and healthcare assistants and deputise for the ward sister in her absence.

Main duties of the job

To work as part of the 24-hour ward based nursing team, under the direction of the ward sister, providing high quality holistic nursing care to patients.

The staff nurse role carries delegated responsibility for the assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation of evidence based nursing to patients in their own homes and other community settings.

To assume delegated responsibility for the supervision of the team in the absence of the ward sister when required.

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

Please see the attached job description and person specification for more information about this role.

Person specification

Qualifications

• First level registered nurse qualification (RN, RGN) – diploma/degree level
• Current professional registration with NMC

Knowledge

• Understanding of NMC standards and implications for practice
• Ability to problem solve and make clinical decisions
• Evidence of effective interpersonal skills
• Understanding of clinical governance framework and implications for practice
• Knowledge of current health service issues and up to date clinical and leadership skills

Experience

• Multi-disciplinary/multi-agency working
• Undertaking complex assessments and the planning and evaluation of care packages
• Clinical audit
• Experience in Palliative Care

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

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

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.

Application numbers

This vacancy may close early if it receives a high number of applications. You are therefore advised to consider applying for this vacancy as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.