Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust

07/09/2026

We are excited to announce that from today Dr Gareth Thomas will serve as our interim CEO.

Gareth has served the people of Lancashire and South Cumbria since 2006, having initially joined LSCFT as a foundation year doctor in Chorley, before progressing through a number of medical training posts at the Trust, eventually progressing to become a consultant psychiatrist in older adult services in Lytham in 2014.

He then went in to hold a number of medical leadership roles, including within the Fylde Coast, before becoming the Chief Medical Officer and Deputy CEO, covering the entire Trust footprint across the whole of Lancashire and South Cumbria.

Gareth said: “Having spent all of my career working directly with patients, families and colleagues across our services, I know first-hand the difference that compassionate, evidence-based, high-quality care can make to people's lives.

"It has been a privilege to serve the people of Lancashire and South Cumbria for two decades. My focus, and one I will champion across the Trust, is to create the conditions for colleagues to deliver safe, person-centred care that is clinically led which will deliver the best possible outcomes for our patients, families/carers and communities.

“It's an exciting time for LSCFT as we continue on our improvement journey working alongside our wider health and care partners within Lancashire and South Cumbria.”

Dr Gareth Thomas will remain as Interim CEO until a formal permanent appointment is made into the Chief Executive Officer role in due course.

Dr Gareth Thomas takes up the position of as our new Interim Chief Executive Officer (CEO) after recently serving as the Chief Medical Officer and Deputy Chief Executive, whilst the recruitment process for the new substantive CEO takes place.

07/09/2026

The Trust's Annual Members' Meeting (AMM) will be held on Monday 5 October 2026 at Longside Lounge, Turf Moor, Burnley Football Club, Harry Potts Way, Burnley, BB10 4BX. The event is open to all Trust members, colleagues and members of the public.

On the day there will be a selection of engagement stalls where you can find out more about some of the Trust's services and our partner organisations. You can also visit our HARRI bus to improve your health and wellbeing, get involved with the Trust charity, Hope and Mind, or hop aboard and explore our mobile research unit.

During the Annual Members' Meeting, the Board of Directors will present this year's Annual Report and Accounts and provide an opportunity for members to ask questions.

Parking and accessibility:

Turf Moor has been selected following consideration of accessibility, parking provision and venue facilities.

Parking is available at the stadium. The Northeast Car Park is recommended for the Longside Lounge.

The venue offers step-free access to event spaces and accessible entrances.

Accessible toilet facilities are available within the stadium.

Turf Moor sits a stones throw from Burnley City Centre and is easily accessible by road, rail and bus. By car, the stadium is less than 2 miles away from the M65 motorway, and is a short walk from Burnley Manchester Road train station.

If you have any specific accessibility requirements or require additional support on the day, please let us know when registering so that we can make appropriate arrangements.

For enquiries, further details and to register your attendance, please contact the Company Secretary Team by email: [email protected].

06/09/2026

Going back to school or transitioning to a new school isn't always easy. There's lots of support for children and young people's mental health online. Here are some trusted sources to take a look at.

Young Minds: https://www.youngminds.org.uk/
Healthy Young Minds: https://www.healthyyoungmindslsc.co.uk/
NSPCC: https://www.nspcc.org.uk/
Mind for young people: https://www.mind.org.uk/for-young-people/
The Mix: https://www.themix.org.uk/

04/09/2026

In a mental health crisis?

Call 111 and select option 2

You can access support from a mental health professional in your area, any time you’re facing a mental health crisis.

Lines are open 24/7.

If you have a hearing problem or need help in another language, including BSL, visit: https://111.nhs.uk/Help/OtherWays

This number is not for repeat prescriptions regarding mental health, you will need to contact your GP or prescriber.

03/09/2026

If you're a fire safety expert looking for a new opportunity then we could well have the role for you!

We're looking for two fire safety advisors to join our team and complete Fire Risk Assessments, focus on providing staff training and provide general support in relation to fire safety.

You'll also provide an oversight of the service providers fire safety responsibilities and ensure all their services comply with legislation and good industry practice.

Learn more via the link in the comments.

02/09/2026

Back to school means back to routine, but why do routines matter?

The return to school after a long summer break can feel like a sudden jolt. Early alarms, packed lunches, uniforms, homework, traffic it all comes rushing back and for many families, the transition isn’t just logistical, it’s deeply emotional. Moving from the freedom of summer to the structure of school life can bring challenges not only for young children but for teenagers and young adults. As routines begin to re-establish themselves, it’s common to see resistance, tiredness or feelings of anxiety surface.

Read our blog post for advice on supporting children and young people back to school.

Naomi O’Grady, Team Leader at Change Talks, discusses why routine plays an important role in mental wellbeing for children and young people.

01/09/2026

We are pleased to share that our Talking Therapies service in Blackburn with Darwen will be part of Sport England's Active Talking Trailblazers, testing how physical activity can be embedded directly into local NHS Talking Therapies services, making movement a routine part of care and recovery.

Find out more below!

Sport England national partnerships lead talks about Active Talking Trailblazers, a new programme, developed with NHS Talking Therapies to help people's wellbeing through physical activity.

"We asked ourselves a simple question: ‘What difference could we make if physical activity became a routine part of mental health support, rather than something people were encouraged to do separately?’"

https://www.sportengland.org/blogs/active-talking-trailblazers

27/08/2026

We're looking for an experienced, enthusiastic and skilled Community Mental Health Practitioner to join our busy Community Mental Health Team for Older Adults in South Lakes.

As Assessment and Duty Pactitioner, you'll be someone who enjoys and works well in a team setting and is also able to work independently; is committed to working with older people with mental health needs and is able to work effectively in this role.

Learn more via the link in the comments.

24/08/2026

Are you a dynamic, forward-thinking and experienced learning disabilities professional or leader seeking a new challenge? Our Learning Disability All-Age Service is recruiting a Locality Team Manager in the Fylde and Wyre locality.

As part of the leadership team, you will manage an all-age, multi-disciplinary community learning disability and autism service. You will oversee the day-to-day operational management and leadership of staff to ensure delivery of a high-quality, multi-disciplinary health service for the local community.

Clinical responsibilities include promoting access to mainstream health care, reducing health inequalities and premature mortality, delivering specialist interventions, maintaining a caseload of complex clients as directed, and collaborating with other service leads.

We seek a confident, organised and experienced individual with a strong background in community teams, a thorough understanding of the health needs of people with learning disabilities, and up-to-date knowledge of issues affecting learning disability services.

Apply now - link in the comments.

21/08/2026

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a principal clinical psychologist to join our Inpatient Psychology Service at Woodview in Whalley.

Opened in early 2023, the Woodview Unit is a recently refurbished building which has a total of 32 beds, including 12 male, 12 female and an 8-bedded male PICU unit. The ethos of the unit is to provide therapeutic care which is empowering, person-centred and needs-led, with a focus on promoting recovery and independence.

In the role, you will provide a qualified and experienced clinical psychology service to service users including the provision of enhanced specialist psychological assessment and intervention with complex cases.

You will also have the opportunity to utilise your research skills for audit, policy and service development and research within your field.

Apply now - link in the comments.