Lancashire Medical Services jobs in Preston

This role is hybrid. You will work from home, with travel across Lancashire for face-to-face client support and community events. You will need to be based in or within easy travelling distance of Lancashire.

Job title: Suicide Bereavement Liaison Worker

Salary: £10,937.60 per annum, pro rata (£27,344.00 FTE)
Contract: Fixed term, 6 months initially

Service: Amparo Suicide Bereavement Liaison Service

Hours of work: 14 hours per week (2 days) - Lancashire

Working Days: Monday to Friday, standard business hours (08:00 to 17:00). Evening clinics 12-8pm Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday. All shifts are on a rota basis.

Employer: Listening Ear - abbreviated as LE

Base: Home-based, with the post-holder living in Lancashire

Accountable to: Team Leader

Summary

We are recruiting a Suicide Bereavement Liaison Worker to support the delivery of Listening Ear’s Amparo Suicide Bereavement Service in Lancashire.

This role involves providing high-quality, trauma-informed practical and emotional support to individuals and families bereaved or affected by suicide. The post-holder will support individuals navigating complex grief, trauma and the practical implications of suicide bereavement, including engagement with services such as the police, coroners and community support networks.

The role requires strong interpersonal skills, emotional resilience and the ability to manage sensitive and distressing situations with professionalism and compassion. The successful candidate will be highly organised, able to work independently in a home-based environment and committed to delivering person-centred, ethical support in line with safeguarding frameworks.

This role is subject to a satisfactory DBS check, satisfactory references and a probationary period.

Flexibility to meet the operational needs of the charity is required.

Job Purpose

• To provide 1:1 practical and emotional support to individuals bereaved or affected by suicide
• To undertake initial assessments in line with agreed service processes
• To develop tailored support plans based on individual needs
• To act as an advocate for beneficiaries and support access to appropriate services
• To work collaboratively with statutory and voluntary agencies
• To maintain accurate records and case management in line with LE policies

Overview of Responsibilities

a) Emotional & Practical Support

• Provide trauma-informed emotional and practical support via phone, virtual platforms, and face-to-face where required
• Offer a safe, non-judgmental space for individuals to share their experiences
• Support individuals in managing grief and complex emotional responses
• Provide structured follow-up and ongoing support

b) Case Management & Assessment

• Conduct person-centred initial assessments
• Develop and implement tailored support plans
• Maintain accurate and up-to-date case records in line with GDPR

c) Multi-Agency Working

• Liaise with statutory and non-statutory services
• Signpost and refer individuals to appropriate support services
• Advocate for beneficiaries to access services and support

d) Safeguarding & Risk

• Identify and respond to safeguarding concerns
• Escalate risks in line with LE policies and procedures
• Maintain professional boundaries at all times

e) Community Engagement

• Represent LE within local communities
• Attend events, drop-in sessions, and awareness activities where required
• Contribute to reducing stigma around suicide bereavement

f) Information Management & Technology

• Use LE systems (including Lamplight) to manage casework and data
• Maintain accurate records for reporting and service evaluation

g) Communications

• Act as an ambassador for LE at all times
• Maintain effective relationships with stakeholders and partner agencies
• Provide reports, case studies, and updates as required

h) Quality Assurance

• Work within LE policies, procedures, and safeguarding frameworks
• Ensure compliance with GDPR and confidentiality standards
• Participate in supervision and reflective practice

i) Service Development

• Participate in training and CPD
• Contribute to service development and continuous improvement

J) General

• The post-holder will be expected to undertake duties relating to the work of LE as appropriate to the grade of this post or as delegated. The job description is not exhaustive and will be subject to adjustments in relation to the needs of a developing service and the skills and experiences of the post holder.

Person Specification

• Experience in mental health, counselling, social care, or similar
• Experience supporting individuals with complex emotional needs
• Experience managing sensitive or distressing situations
• Experience of conducting initial assessments
• Experience of multi-agency working
• Experience in suicide bereavement or crisis support
• Knowledge of trauma-informed practice
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills
• Ability to build trust and rapport quickly
• Ability to work independently and manage workload
• Strong organisational and administrative skills
• Emotional resilience and ability to manage challenging situations
• Full clean driving licence and access to a car (or ability to travel within area)
• Ability and willingness to travel across Lancashire to deliver face-to-face support

General Criteria for all LE Staff

• Excellent administrative skills, with the ability to prioritise work and to manage a number of cases and priorities
• Flexible working across a range of duties and across our range of opening hours including evenings and weekends
• Excellent team working and communication skills both verbally and in writing
• A positive contributor to achieving team goals
• Demonstrate excellent knowledge of safeguarding and child protection practices
• Demonstrate the ability to operate an appropriate confidentiality policy and keep people's personal records, including medical records, accurate, safe and confidential.
• A calm approach to problem solving and to working in a busy office environment
• A willingness to undertake training as required
• Strong ethical values, personal integrity and the ability to work within the principles of confidentiality
• An understanding and commitment to a client focused approach
• An awareness and understanding of diversity and equality issues and work in a non-judgemental way with people from all backgrounds
• Evidence of resilience and experience of working on own initiative with minimum of supervision, with the ability to remain professional under pressure
• Excellent IT skills with the ability to effectively complete impact monitoring systems and to create professional reports for external agencies.

Why Listening Ear?

• Face-to-face training, induction and warm welcome provided at our headquarters in the North West to meet colleagues and welcome you to Listening Ear
• Values-driven organisation supporting vulnerable people across England
• Work within a BACP-Accredited Organisation that delivers support recognised by the Support After Suicide Partnership and Public Health England as best practice
• Annual Training and CPD Allowance to support growth and career development
• Access to free and confidential counselling provided through LE’s Insurance Provider, to support staff welfare
• Pension contribution at 3%
• Daily informal communications with colleagues via remote platforms
• We offer seasonal wellbeing initiatives and Christmas team events to support connection, morale and balance.

Who are we looking for?

We are looking for a compassionate, resilient and dedicated individual who is passionate about supporting people affected by suicide bereavement.

The successful candidate will demonstrate strong emotional intelligence, the ability to manage complex and sensitive situations, and a commitment to delivering person-centred, trauma-informed support.

They will be confident working independently while maintaining effective collaboration with colleagues and external agencies, and will be committed to making a meaningful difference in the lives of those they support.

Please note: As part of the application process, candidates may be asked to complete a short covering document. This forms part of the initial screening stage and does not indicate progression to the next stage. Due to the volume of applications, we may not be able to respond to all applicants individually.

Pay: £10,937.60 per year

Application question(s):

• Do you have a full, clean driving licence and access to a reliable vehicle?
• Do you live in or within easy travelling distance of Lancashire?
• Are you willing to travel across Lancashire to provide face-to-face support?
• Do you have a qualification or experience in mental health, counselling, social care, community work or a similar field?

Work Location: Hybrid remote in Lancashire