Job summary
An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced and motivated Advanced Clinical Practitioner to join the Physical Healthcare Team at Guild Lodge.

Guild Lodge provides medium secure, low secure and step-down inpatient care for people with complex mental health needs. The service supports individuals who may have significant physical health inequalities alongside severe mental illness, making timely, coordinated and high-quality physical healthcare an essential part of their treatment and recovery.

This is a key clinical leadership role within the continuing development of an integrated physical healthcare service. The successful candidate will help strengthen the service's response to acute physical health concerns while also supporting preventative care, long-term condition management and the reduction of health inequalities.

Working as part of a multidisciplinary team, you will exercise advanced clinical judgement and autonomous decision-making to assess, diagnose, investigate and manage people presenting with complex physical and mental health needs. You will develop evidence-based care plans, undertake physical examinations, request and interpret appropriate investigations, prescribe within your professional scope and respond promptly to changes in a patient's condition.

Main duties of the job
The role will include:

• Providing specialist assessment and management of physical health conditions.
• Responding to acute physical health concerns within an agreed scope of practice.
• Supporting the management of long-term conditions and preventative healthcare.
• Undertaking advanced clinical assessment, examination, formulation and diagnostic decision-making.
• Requesting and interpreting appropriate clinical investigations.
• Prescribing and reviewing medication as a qualified Non-Medical prescriber.
• Providing expert clinical advice to ward teams and other members of the multidisciplinary team.
• Supporting the development of clear referral, escalation and clinical governance arrangements.
• Delivering clinical supervision, education and training.
• Leading audit, service evaluation, research and evidence-based improvement.
• Contributing to the development of clinical pathways, guidelines and protocols.

Essential requirements
Applicants must be registered healthcare professionals with an MSc in Advanced Clinical Practice, a first degree in a registered health profession and a non-medical prescribing qualification. You will require a minimum of five years' post-qualification experience, strong clinical assessment and leadership skills, and significant experience of risk assessment, clinical decision-making, teaching and evidence-based service improvement. Experience of physical healthcare, primary care, acute assessment or working with people who have complex mental health needs would be particularly valuable.

Person specification

• MSc Advanced Clinical Practice
• First degree in Registered Health profession
• Registered Practitioner
• Non-medical prescribing
• In-depth knowledge of a range of approaches to mental health assessment and of psychosocial interventions
• Confident in the delivery of care to service user group
• Skilled in delivering evidence based practice for patients who self-harm or attempt suicide
• Post qualification experience
• Significant experience of risk assessment and management and its application practice
• Detailed understanding of relevant legislation e.g. Mental Capacity Act and Mental Health Act and its application to an Acute Hospital setting

Details
Date posted: 03 November 2026
Pay scheme: Agenda for change
Band: Band 8a
Salary: £57,528 to £64,750 a year per annum
Contract: Permanent
Working pattern: Full-time
Reference number: 351-BAY1133-MF
Closing date: 17 November 2026

Employer details
Employer name: Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust
Address: Guild Lodge, Preston, PR3 2JH, United Kingdom
For questions about the job, contact: Andrew McDonald, Consultant Nurse, Andrew.mcdonald@lscft.nhs.uk

Apply through our website

LSCFT values diversity and inclusion and welcomes applications from all, regardless of age, disability, ethnicity, gender, religion, belief, or sexual orientation. This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and a Disclosure and Barring Service check. Applicants must have current UK professional registration.