Job summary
Do you want to be part of a team improving the way adult mental health care is provided in the community? Hounslow East Mental Health Integrated Network Team (MINT) is a community based service supporting people's mental and physical health as well as social care needs. We work closely with the local GP practices, primary care networks, social services, voluntary sector and other organisations to provide interventions in a more collaborative way which are simpler and support joined-up, personalised treatment and care.
An exciting opportunity has arisen for a senior peer support worker with a keen interest in providing outstanding support within mental health community settings. The Community Mental Health Framework represents a new approach to providing community-based integrated support, care and treatment for adults with mental health problems whatever their level of need.
Interested? Please read on!
Main duties of the job
The role of senior peer support worker (SPSW) has been developed specifically for experienced peer support workers who have completed their accredited peer support worker training and meet the criteria in the competency framework for peer support workers as defined by ImROC.
The SPSW will provide formalised peer support and practical assistance to help people to engage with their local communities and benefit from all the supports available locally. The post holder will be part of a multi-disciplinary team which will cover a Primary Care Network or locality and will work across networks to form a truly innovative and ground-breaking support structure.
About us
West London NHS Trust is one of the most diverse providers of mental health, community and social care in the UK.
Our 3,982 staff care for people in hospital and in the community, helping them to recover and go on to lead full and productive lives. We aim to be the best organisation of our kind in the country.
We provide care and treatment for more than 800,000 people living in the London boroughs of Ealing, Hammersmith & Fulham and Hounslow, delivering services in the community (at home, in GP surgeries and care homes), hospital, specialist clinics and forensic (secure) units.
We'rerated good overall by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
Together, we're committed to promoting hope and wellbeing, working with patients, service users, carers, families and partners across the communities we serve.
We are keen to ensure that our workforce reflects the community it serves, particularly in terms of ethnicity, gender, disability, LGBTQ+ and experience of mental illness.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The SPSW will work as part of a multidisciplinary team within the Hounslow (MINT) team, leading on peer involvement in transformation initiatives to ensure that these pieces are co-designed, mentoring band 3 peer support workers within the service-line, providing support to service users through the facilitation of key events, contributing to evaluations and developing and supporting the team by carrying a small caseload of clients.
The SPSW will act as an advocate for recovery within MINT and represent the service user voice as part of informing the co-design element of the transformation programme. They will also be an ambassador for recovery for the Trust and with partner agencies.
As part of this role, it is expected that the SPSW will share their personal life experiences to foster a relationship of trust and mutuality and will raise awareness about local resources and opportunities that may inform the transformation initiatives and assist service users to find a felt sense of hope, value and purpose so that they can have greater agency of their recovery journey.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The SPSW will work as part of a multidisciplinary team within the Hounslow (MINT) team, leading on peer involvement in transformation initiatives to ensure that these pieces are co-designed, mentoring band 3 peer support workers within the service-line, providing support to service users through the facilitation of key events, contributing to evaluations and developing and supporting the team by carrying a small caseload of clients.
The SPSW will act as an advocate for recovery within MINT and represent the service user voice as part of informing the co-design element of the transformation programme. They will also be an ambassador for recovery for the Trust and with partner agencies.
As part of this role, it is expected that the SPSW will share their personal life experiences to foster a relationship of trust and mutuality and will raise awareness about local resources and opportunities that may inform the transformation initiatives and assist service users to find a felt sense of hope, value and purpose so that they can have greater agency of their recovery journey.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Formal peer support accredited training
- Completion of peer support work competencies as defined by ImROC
Desirable
- Training for lived experience practitioners
- Evidence of further related training.
- Health related qualification.
Experience
Essential
- Personal lived experience of mental health distress.
- Personal experience of accessing primary or secondary mental health service.
- Experience of working as a peer support worker
Desirable
- Experience of working with peers and/ or clinicians using a co-production methodology within a work setting.
- Experience of contributing to a research project or audit
- Experience of collaborative working alongside professionals in either a statutory or non-statutory mental health service.
- Experience of group work interventions.
- Experience of working as a peer trainer.
Knowledge
Essential
- Understanding of how lived experience of mental health problems can be used to support others
- Good understanding of recovery focussed principles and how they can influence support for service users.
- Understanding of the issues and concerns that service users may have in relation to their care.
- Ability to support others in a recovery orientated way.
- Good motivational techniques and abilities.
- Clear effective planning and decision-making skills.
- Able to maintain the profile of the peer support service within a multidisciplinary/ multi-agency setting.
- Demonstrates the ability to role model, empower and enable others
- Ability to receive highly complex and sensitive information and maintain confidentiality
- Computer Literacy.
Desirable
- Knowledge of mental health policies and legislation that may contribute to support for service users
- Understanding the impact of stigma and discrimination on service users.
- Good organisational skills and time management.
- Presentation and teaching skills.
- Ability to challenge clinical practice and attitudes in a diplomatic way.
- Evidence of working within a team environment and the ability to develop and maintain constructive working relationships with colleagues.
Other Requirements
Essential
- Commitment to life-long learning
- High level of self-awareness
- Ability to manage stress and maintain a work-life balance
Desirable
- Experience of receiving counselling or psychotherapy
- Ability to critically think and reflect
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Formal peer support accredited training
- Completion of peer support work competencies as defined by ImROC
Desirable
- Training for lived experience practitioners
- Evidence of further related training.
- Health related qualification.
Experience
Essential
- Personal lived experience of mental health distress.
- Personal experience of accessing primary or secondary mental health service.
- Experience of working as a peer support worker
Desirable
- Experience of working with peers and/ or clinicians using a co-production methodology within a work setting.
- Experience of contributing to a research project or audit
- Experience of collaborative working alongside professionals in either a statutory or non-statutory mental health service.
- Experience of group work interventions.
- Experience of working as a peer trainer.
Knowledge
Essential
- Understanding of how lived experience of mental health problems can be used to support others
- Good understanding of recovery focussed principles and how they can influence support for service users.
- Understanding of the issues and concerns that service users may have in relation to their care.
- Ability to support others in a recovery orientated way.
- Good motivational techniques and abilities.
- Clear effective planning and decision-making skills.
- Able to maintain the profile of the peer support service within a multidisciplinary/ multi-agency setting.
- Demonstrates the ability to role model, empower and enable others
- Ability to receive highly complex and sensitive information and maintain confidentiality
- Computer Literacy.
Desirable
- Knowledge of mental health policies and legislation that may contribute to support for service users
- Understanding the impact of stigma and discrimination on service users.
- Good organisational skills and time management.
- Presentation and teaching skills.
- Ability to challenge clinical practice and attitudes in a diplomatic way.
- Evidence of working within a team environment and the ability to develop and maintain constructive working relationships with colleagues.
Other Requirements
Essential
- Commitment to life-long learning
- High level of self-awareness
- Ability to manage stress and maintain a work-life balance
Desirable
- Experience of receiving counselling or psychotherapy
- Ability to critically think and reflect
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.
