About this role
Job summary
Our Initial Response Service (IRS) is a centralised, triage-led function designed to provide a single point of access for urgent mental health referrals, bringing together the elements of 111 Mental Health Option, Crisis and Home Treatment pathways. It is responsible for receiving, screening and clinically triaging referrals, ensuring service users are directed to the most appropriate service in a timely and safe manner. The model supports rapid decision making, prioritisation of risk, and coordination of responses, including escalation to face-to-face crisis assessment where indicated. The service aims to reduce duplication across services, and deliver consistent performance against response standard.
As the Initial Response Service (IRS) Manager, you will lead both the operational delivery and strategic development of a high-impact, front-door mental health service, ensuring safe, responsive and effective care for those in urgent need. You will be accountable for delivering consistent performance against national standards while maintaining a relentless focus on quality, safety and patient experience across all aspects of the service.
Main duties of the job A core element of the role is providing visible leadership on quality and safety, embedding a culture of continuous improvement, learning and openness. You will ensure robust clinical governance, oversee risk management, and drive improvements in safety outcomes, using data, audit and service user feedback to reduce variation and enhance care delivery. Operationally, you will lead demand and capacity planning, workforce optimisation and pathway redesign, ensuring the service is agile and able to respond to system pressures. You will use performance and activity data to drive improvements in access, flow and outcomes, ensuring the IRS delivers a consistently high standard of care. You will work as a senior system leader, building strong partnerships across health and social care, and influencing the development of integrated urgent care pathways. Acting as an ambassador for the Trust, you will contribute to system-wide transformation and ensure the IRS plays a central role in delivering the wider mental health agenda. Alongside this, you will inspire and develop a high-performing workforce, creating a culture where staff feel supported, empowered and accountable. You will ensure robust governance, financial oversight and performance management are in place, delivering a service that is not only efficient and sustainable, but also consistently safe, high-quality and person-centred.
About us
Here at NSFT we pride ourselves on being a welcoming, talented, friendly and supportive team who like nothing better than sharing experiences and learning from each other. In addition to ongoing training and development opportunities, we are committed to providing an environment in which you can thrive.
Why work for us? We have challenges as a Trust, but we have ambitious aspirations, are pushing ahead with exciting transformation work and we need dedicated individuals to support us on our journey. We have strong, established professional networks coupled with an exceptional leadership team who will ensure you are truly cared for and cared about.
Why Norfolk and Suffolk? The people here are warm and welcoming, you'll never be far from the beautiful coastline or Broads National Park. We're an hour and a half away from London and have an international airport in Norwich too. Our villages, towns and cities are packed full of history, independent cafes, shops and theatres. We have excellent shopping, eating out, top ranking schooling and affordable house prices too.
Job description Job responsibilities The Initial Response Service (IRS) Manager is responsible for the strategic leadership, development and operational delivery of a high-profile, front-door urgent mental health service. The role ensures the service is innovative, responsive and sustainable, aligning with Trust priorities, national policy and wider system transformation. Key responsibilities include driving operational performance and delivery, ensuring the IRS meets national and local standards, improves access and flow, and delivers high-quality, person-centred care. This involves leading demand and capacity planning, workforce optimisation, and continuous service improvement to enhance outcomes and efficiency. A central focus of the role is quality, safety and governance, embedding robust clinical governance arrangements, overseeing risk management, and using data, audit and feedback to drive continuous improvement and reduce variation in care. The post holder ensures systems are in place to monitor safety, manage incidents and deliver high standards of care. The role also includes financial and workforce leadership, ensuring efficient use of resources, delivery of financial plans and development of a high-performing workforce with the right skills and capacity to meet service demand. Finally, the post holder will operate as a senior system leader, building strong partnerships across health and social care, influencing system-wide service development, and representing the Trust at local, regional and national levels to support integrated, sustainable service delivery
Person Specification
Qualifications Essential
Degree level education supplemented by postgraduate study and management or clinical experience to master's degree level or equivalent.
Desirable
Other professional qualifications relevant to the role
Experience Essential
Leading health or social care services Working in partnership with Health and Social Care providers. Experience of contributing to policy development and implementation Experience of using safety systems in healthcare
Desirable
Engaging with appropriate stakeholders to shape delivery of healthcare services. Maximising service income potential
Skills Essential
Ability to help develop a culture that improves quality and safety in service areas Ability to develop oneself and others in the area of leadership and service management. Experience of dealing with conflict and working with colleagues to agree remedial action as required
Knowledge Essential
Excellent working knowledge of wider health and social care systems and structures, policies, procedures and legislation relevant to services. Knowledge of the philosophy, principles and national drivers (10 year forward plan) underpinning services for people with mental health problems. Strong Team Builder & Promoter of Teamwork
Other Essential
Role models the Trusts values and behaviours. Seek out and act on performance feedback and continually build capability as a leader. Demonstrate visible, compassionate, and inclusive leadership. Ability to travel Independently.
Disclosure and Barring Service Check This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Certificate of Sponsorship Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Employer details Employer name Norfolk & Suffolk Foundation NHS Trust
Address Hellesdon Hospital
Drayton Hi
Norwich
NR6 5BE
United Kingdom
Employer's website https://www.nsft.nhs.uk/Pages/Home.aspx (Opens in a new tab)