Specialist Inpatient Social Worker - Learning Disabilities

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

As an integrated mental health, learning disability and community Trust, Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust provides a 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, forensic services including low and medium secure care.
• Specialist community support for children and adults with learning disabilities and autism, including intensive support.
• Community physical health and well-being services for children and adults.

The Trust was first established in 2002 and employs approximately 7,000 staff who provide care from more than 400 sites. The organisation offers opportunities for medics, mental health and general nurses, allied health professionals, psychology, administration and clerical staff, apprentices and volunteers.

Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust 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.

For more information visit our website via Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS FT.

Please note that further communication from Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust (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.

Job overview

Water Meadow View is a brand new mental health inpatient unit for adults who have learning disabilities, which is due to open in late Autumn 2025 on our site in Whittingham, Preston. As we prepare to open this unit, we have an exciting opportunity for Staff Nurses to join us and support the Multi-Disciplinary Team to deliver outstanding person centred care.

One of the Trust's aims is to deliver the best possible care to our patients, and this new inpatient unit will do just that. Water Meadow View will offer clinical excellence, support, and safety, with patient-centred care at its heart.

The post holder will provide highly specialised social work support to individuals with mental illness, considering their families and carers, in line with National Joint Council Conditions of Service, across Lancashire and South Cumbria’s diverse communities.

The post holder will ensure the safe and effective delivery of social care, promoting evidence-based practice through specialist knowledge and skills.

The post holder will lead the development of the inpatient social work role within Water Meadow View MDT and expand it across the wider trust.

Main duties of the job

When you join us, you’ll be making a positive impact on the lives of people with a learning disability by delivering person centred, compassionate care, in a purpose built, co-produced environment, with opportunities to for you to learn and develop throughout your career.

The post holder will deliver on key responsibilities within the inpatient service:

• Actively contribute to multi-disciplinary assessments and treatment planning for individuals with learning disabilities and complex mental and behavioural needs, offering specialist advice and support as needed.
• Champion service user participation in care planning and service development, overseeing participation/peer support workers.
• Promote and manage participation initiatives across Water Meadow View and partner agencies, including independent advocacy and adherence to Hear by Right standards.
• Collaborate with the gatekeeping team and external agencies to facilitate well-planned admissions and discharges.
• Ensure compliance with legislation related to social care, safeguarding, mental capacity, mental health, human rights, and restrictions to liberty.
• Support the coordination of CTR/CETR meetings with colleagues to support care planning and safe discharge.
• Work closely with individuals, carers, advocates, commissioners, and partners to facilitate smooth hospital discharge.
• Manage inpatient care using evidence-based principles to develop and evaluate specialised care programs.
• Prepare and present formal reports as required

Working for our organisation

Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust provides a range of services including secondary mental health care across this area. Specialist provision comprises inpatient child and adolescent mental health services, perinatal mental health and forensic services including low and medium secure care.

The Trust also provides a range of physical health and well-being services in the community alongside a range of partners in the Lancashire, Cumbria and Sefton area.

We encourage applicants to state clearly on their application forms this request and discuss these options at interview.

For more information please visit our website via Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS FT.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

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

Person specification

Qualifications

• BA Social work, CQSW, CSS, DipSW or equivalent.
• Evidence of post registration training in Learning Disability.
• Professionally registered with Social Work England.

Knowledge

• In-depth knowledge of social care issues and their impact on care delivery.
• Expertise in specialist interventions, legal frameworks, and assessment methods relevant to learning disabilities.
• Strong working knowledge of current legislation and national initiatives.
• Highly developed knowledge of learning disability and associated vulnerability.
• Good understanding of Positive Behavioural Support (PBS)

Experience

• Substantial post registration experience in social work.
• Extensive experience working with people with learning disabilities.
• Proven experience of collaborating across health/social care boundaries.
• Experience of supporting individuals with mental health needs.
• Strong background in multi-agency co-ordination for service users with complex needs.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Please be aware, the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) when submitting an application is monitored and if you have used AI to generate an application, you are required to declare this on your application form. Failure to do so, may result in your application being withdrawn.

We want to highlight the importance of integrity and authenticity in your application form, and ask you to use AI tools responsibly to ensure your application form is a true reflection of your skills, knowledge and experiences.

We are looking for you to demonstrate personal experiences of how you meet the essential criteria and as an NHS Employer, we value authenticity and honesty.

Please consider that AI-generated content may lack specificity and fail to address key criteria outlined in the job description providing impersonal and inaccurate information.

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

Applications from job share partners are welcome and other forms of flexible working will be considered for all posts.

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).

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 three 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.

LSCft is committed to celebrating difference as an asset and we know that recruiting talent from diverse backgrounds helps to create a more flexible, creative and effective workforce. We actively challenge discrimination and welcome applications from people regardless of age, disability (particularly those with experience of accessing or caring for someone who has accessed mental health or learning disability services), ethnicity, gender, religion or belief or sexual orientation.

Our goal is for the Trust to be truly representative of the communities we serve so we are particularly keen to receive applications from people in under-represented groups. If there is anything you’d like to discuss in relation to your application then please ask.