Job summary
The role of peer support worker (PSW) has been developed specifically for people who have lived experience of mental health challenges. Through sharing wisdom from their own experiences, peer support workers will inspire hope and belief that recovery is possible in others.
As an integral and highly valued member of the multi-disciplinary team, the PSW will provide formalised peer support and practical assistance to service users in order for them to regain control over their lives and their own unique recovery journey
Through sharing the wisdom of own lived experience, the PSW will inspire hope and belief that recovery is possible in others. Within a relationship of mutuality, they will facilitate and support information sharing to promote choice, self-determination and opportunities for the fulfilment of socially valued roles and connection to local communities.
The successful applicant may have contact with patients or service users. As an NHS Trust we strongly encourage and support vaccination as this remains the best way to protect yourself, your family, your colleagues and of course patients and service users when working on our healthcare settings.
Main duties of the job
As a core member of a busy multi-disciplinary team, the PSW will carry out some generic duties, which includes supporting patients who may be on close observations, undertaking and recording physical health checks, and supervising meal times.
The PSW will take a lead role in embedding recovery values within the service setting in which they work, alongside other Trust recovery champions, and act as an ambassador of recovery for the Trust with external agencies and partner organisations.
The PSW will also have the opportunity to co-work with other colleagues and there will be some opportunities for group work. The PSW will work under the supervision of line management e.g. Nurse/ Occupational Therapist/Social Worker. The PSW will also co-facilitate Inpatient Recovery Snapshots on a rotational basis.
About us
CNWL (Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust) has almost 7,000 staff providing integrated healthcare to a third of London's population, Milton Keynes and areas beyond.We involve service users, carers, the public, staff and partner organisations in the way that we are run.
Our catchment area spans diverse communities, with over 100 first languages spoken. It contains areas of great affluence as well as areas of much deprivation. We are committed to providing services that meet the needs of the people who use them, and we actively encourage involvement from local people who can help make a difference. We're proud of our diversity and we continue to undertake new initiatives to advance equality for LGBT+, BME and people with disabilities to promote good relations and understanding between our staff.We are recognised locally, nationally and internationally for providing high quality, innovative healthcare. We aim to employ only the best people, and our experts are frequently called upon to contribute to national health strategy and policy, and many models of our care have been adapted for use in other countries.
We offer a generous relocation package (subject to eligibility assessment) and flexible working options, including bank assignments for most roles. See attached Staff Reward and Wellbeing Handbook detailing our benefits, discounts and wellbeing initiatives for staff.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Key Responsibilities
1. Central and North West London NHS Trust is committed to providing safe, effective services and providing those who use the services; and those who support them, with a positive experience.
Clinical Responsibilities
- To work with the multi-disciplinary team in the support of both informal service users and those detained under the mental health act within acute inpatient settings
- To assume a coaching role supporting service users in developing personal recovery plans; this can be delivered individually or in groups.
- To assist service users to identify their strengths, personal interests and goals.
- To provide opportunities for service users to direct their own recovery process.
- To facilitate or assist in the admission, transfer and discharge of service users.
- To model/mentor a recovery process and demonstrate coping skills, using own experience of recovery.
- To act as a role model to service users to inspire hope, share life experiences and lessons learned as a person in recovery.
- To support service users to negotiate an Advanced Directive with all people involved in their care and others who provide support.
- To contribute to the assessment, planning, implementation and review of care with the multi-disciplinary team.
- To work together with the service user and where possible their carers in the drawing up of care plans encouraging and motivating service users to take an active role in their own care plan.
- To assist individuals in managing their mental health on a day to day basis including providing support with activities of daily living such as care of self, budgeting, personal care, caring for their home and leisure activities.
- To positively promote and support independent living for service users in the community by maintaining extensive knowledge and links with community resources and actively supporting service users to access them e.g. in relation to employment, community living and leisure.
- To take part, with the service user, in ward activities and social groups, some of this activity will be supporting the Activity Coordinator or Occupational Therapist.
- To assist in the development and implementation of educational and peer facilitated support groups and activities which complement the inpatient programme.
- To accompany service users to appointments, therapeutic or social community based activities as appropriate.
- To support service users in seeking to connect/ reconnect with family, friends, significant others and in learning how to improve or eliminate unhealthy relationships.
- To assist service users to maintain a connection with their life outside of hospital.
- To accept and respect service users personal beliefs, uniqueness and identity.
Communication
- To meet, welcome, introduce and orientate the service user, their carer and families to the ward/ service.
- To support the service user to prepare for meetings regarding their care e.g. assessments, CPA meetings etc.
- To help service users to access information on health promotion, mental and physical wellbeing.
- To monitor the service users progress, level of functioning & mental state, reporting progress and areas of concern to the multi-disciplinary team (verbally & electronic record keeping systems).
- To assist the service user to understand their rights and choices within the service.
- Report any untoward incidents or unusual occurrences to the manager/senior clinician immediately.
Service Development and Delivery
- To maintain up to date knowledge of legislation, national and local policies and issues in relation to both the specific service user group, peer support and mental health.
- To comply with all relevant Trust policies, procedures and guidelines, including those relating to Equal Opportunities, Health and Safety and Confidentiality of Information and to be aware of any changes in these.
- To be aware of, teach others and challenge issues in relation to stigma, low expectations and anti-discriminatory practice as appropriate.
- To read and understand the statutory requirements of the Mental Health Act 1983.
- To attend clinical, business & service development meetings as required.
- To raise the profile of peer support both within CNWL, and externally, through co-delivery of presentations, workshops, and participation in Trust wide peer related projects and audits: and information sharing as required and as agreed with the line manager.
Learning and Development
- To participate in Trust mandatory training & development opportunities considered appropriate to the PSWs role and as identified in the Personal Development Plan (PDP)
- To undertake the accredited Developing Expertise in Peer Support Level 4 module at London South Bank University.
- To contribute and commit to undertaking an annual Development review/ Appraisal
- To engage in Peer Support supervision as stated in our Trustwide policies.
- To receive regular line management supervision as arranged by the ward/ service manager.
- To make full use of supervision, peer support with other peer workers and other support as necessary in order to remain well and safe in the peer support role, and in order to work with the challenges of using lived experience to support people with potentially difficult and distressing issues.
Documentation
-
- To ensure timely and accurate recording of clinical related data and information on the electronic patient record system.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Key Responsibilities
1. Central and North West London NHS Trust is committed to providing safe, effective services and providing those who use the services; and those who support them, with a positive experience.
Clinical Responsibilities
- To work with the multi-disciplinary team in the support of both informal service users and those detained under the mental health act within acute inpatient settings
- To assume a coaching role supporting service users in developing personal recovery plans; this can be delivered individually or in groups.
- To assist service users to identify their strengths, personal interests and goals.
- To provide opportunities for service users to direct their own recovery process.
- To facilitate or assist in the admission, transfer and discharge of service users.
- To model/mentor a recovery process and demonstrate coping skills, using own experience of recovery.
- To act as a role model to service users to inspire hope, share life experiences and lessons learned as a person in recovery.
- To support service users to negotiate an Advanced Directive with all people involved in their care and others who provide support.
- To contribute to the assessment, planning, implementation and review of care with the multi-disciplinary team.
- To work together with the service user and where possible their carers in the drawing up of care plans encouraging and motivating service users to take an active role in their own care plan.
- To assist individuals in managing their mental health on a day to day basis including providing support with activities of daily living such as care of self, budgeting, personal care, caring for their home and leisure activities.
- To positively promote and support independent living for service users in the community by maintaining extensive knowledge and links with community resources and actively supporting service users to access them e.g. in relation to employment, community living and leisure.
- To take part, with the service user, in ward activities and social groups, some of this activity will be supporting the Activity Coordinator or Occupational Therapist.
- To assist in the development and implementation of educational and peer facilitated support groups and activities which complement the inpatient programme.
- To accompany service users to appointments, therapeutic or social community based activities as appropriate.
- To support service users in seeking to connect/ reconnect with family, friends, significant others and in learning how to improve or eliminate unhealthy relationships.
- To assist service users to maintain a connection with their life outside of hospital.
- To accept and respect service users personal beliefs, uniqueness and identity.
Communication
- To meet, welcome, introduce and orientate the service user, their carer and families to the ward/ service.
- To support the service user to prepare for meetings regarding their care e.g. assessments, CPA meetings etc.
- To help service users to access information on health promotion, mental and physical wellbeing.
- To monitor the service users progress, level of functioning & mental state, reporting progress and areas of concern to the multi-disciplinary team (verbally & electronic record keeping systems).
- To assist the service user to understand their rights and choices within the service.
- Report any untoward incidents or unusual occurrences to the manager/senior clinician immediately.
Service Development and Delivery
- To maintain up to date knowledge of legislation, national and local policies and issues in relation to both the specific service user group, peer support and mental health.
- To comply with all relevant Trust policies, procedures and guidelines, including those relating to Equal Opportunities, Health and Safety and Confidentiality of Information and to be aware of any changes in these.
- To be aware of, teach others and challenge issues in relation to stigma, low expectations and anti-discriminatory practice as appropriate.
- To read and understand the statutory requirements of the Mental Health Act 1983.
- To attend clinical, business & service development meetings as required.
- To raise the profile of peer support both within CNWL, and externally, through co-delivery of presentations, workshops, and participation in Trust wide peer related projects and audits: and information sharing as required and as agreed with the line manager.
Learning and Development
- To participate in Trust mandatory training & development opportunities considered appropriate to the PSWs role and as identified in the Personal Development Plan (PDP)
- To undertake the accredited Developing Expertise in Peer Support Level 4 module at London South Bank University.
- To contribute and commit to undertaking an annual Development review/ Appraisal
- To engage in Peer Support supervision as stated in our Trustwide policies.
- To receive regular line management supervision as arranged by the ward/ service manager.
- To make full use of supervision, peer support with other peer workers and other support as necessary in order to remain well and safe in the peer support role, and in order to work with the challenges of using lived experience to support people with potentially difficult and distressing issues.
Documentation
-
- To ensure timely and accurate recording of clinical related data and information on the electronic patient record system.
Person Specification
Education and Qualifications
Essential
- Commitment to obtain underpinning knowledge through work based learning and mandatory training, (including accredited peer support worker training if not previously undertaken)
- Willingness to undertake or completion of Level 4 LSBU accredited course "Developing Expertise in Peer Support" course.
Desirable
- Accredited certificate in Life Coaching
- Accredited Peer Support Worker training
Previous Experience
Essential
- Own personal lived experience of recovery from mental health challenges
- Experience of having personally accessed inpatient mental health services
- Willing to positively share own life experiences, and personal experience of mental health challenges with service users and carers
- Developed plans for managing own recovery
- Experience of actively supporting individuals to identify and work towards achieving personal goals in a related social care or health setting (paid or unpaid)
Desirable
- Paid or unpaid, peer support worker experience
Skills, Knowledge, Abilities
Essential
- Ability to demonstrate first person experiential knowledge of recovery
- Ability to demonstrate knowledge of the concept of personal recovery as it may apply to others
- Evidence of good interpersonal skills and an ability to form peer relationships with service users and carers
- Effective listening skills
- Ability to communicate on all levels and to a broad scope of individuals, both internally and externally to the Trust
- Ability to appreciate / understand other people's worlds
- Ability to demonstrate empathy, compassion and patience
- An ability to be non-judgemental
- An ability to act calmly and to respond in a professional manner to distress, disturbance and unpredictability
- Knowledge of how to build community links and networks
- Ability to problem solve and create innovative solutions to help empower service user
- Understanding of issues arising from experiencing mental ill health
- Ability to work unsupervised in a range of settings
- Sensitive understanding of diversity issues and an ability to promote anti-discriminatory practice/ equal opportunities
- Ability to demonstrate practical skills to provide support with daily living activities
- Resilience
- Good organisational skills
- Effective team player
Desirable
- Knowledge of basic food hygiene
- Knowledge of basic first aid
- Basic Health and Safety awareness
- Moving and handling awareness
- Awareness of local services
- Knowledge of benefits/ employment systems
- Ability to demonstrate a good understanding of mental health issues
- Ability to speak other languages
Person Specification
Education and Qualifications
Essential
- Commitment to obtain underpinning knowledge through work based learning and mandatory training, (including accredited peer support worker training if not previously undertaken)
- Willingness to undertake or completion of Level 4 LSBU accredited course "Developing Expertise in Peer Support" course.
Desirable
- Accredited certificate in Life Coaching
- Accredited Peer Support Worker training
Previous Experience
Essential
- Own personal lived experience of recovery from mental health challenges
- Experience of having personally accessed inpatient mental health services
- Willing to positively share own life experiences, and personal experience of mental health challenges with service users and carers
- Developed plans for managing own recovery
- Experience of actively supporting individuals to identify and work towards achieving personal goals in a related social care or health setting (paid or unpaid)
Desirable
- Paid or unpaid, peer support worker experience
Skills, Knowledge, Abilities
Essential
- Ability to demonstrate first person experiential knowledge of recovery
- Ability to demonstrate knowledge of the concept of personal recovery as it may apply to others
- Evidence of good interpersonal skills and an ability to form peer relationships with service users and carers
- Effective listening skills
- Ability to communicate on all levels and to a broad scope of individuals, both internally and externally to the Trust
- Ability to appreciate / understand other people's worlds
- Ability to demonstrate empathy, compassion and patience
- An ability to be non-judgemental
- An ability to act calmly and to respond in a professional manner to distress, disturbance and unpredictability
- Knowledge of how to build community links and networks
- Ability to problem solve and create innovative solutions to help empower service user
- Understanding of issues arising from experiencing mental ill health
- Ability to work unsupervised in a range of settings
- Sensitive understanding of diversity issues and an ability to promote anti-discriminatory practice/ equal opportunities
- Ability to demonstrate practical skills to provide support with daily living activities
- Resilience
- Good organisational skills
- Effective team player
Desirable
- Knowledge of basic food hygiene
- Knowledge of basic first aid
- Basic Health and Safety awareness
- Moving and handling awareness
- Awareness of local services
- Knowledge of benefits/ employment systems
- Ability to demonstrate a good understanding of mental health issues
- Ability to speak other languages
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.
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).
Additional information
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.
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).
