Herefordshire and Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust

Peer Support Worker-Beacon Maternal Mental Health Service

This job is now closed

Job summary

Are you are looking for an exciting new chance to use your personal experience and skills to make a difference, working in a flexible environment, there is a fantastic opportunity to join Herefordshire and Worcestershire, Beacon Maternal Mental Health Service. The service focuses on the delivery of psychological intervention for women experiencing moderate to severe mental health difficulties directly arising from, or related to, the maternity experience. The focus of the service is birth trauma and/or loss at any stage, and Tokophobia.

We are looking to appoint a Peer Support Worker, who has lived experience of maternal mental health difficulties and has accessed mental health support. Working as part of the multi-disciplinary clinical team, the post holder will have a clinical caseload providing peer support to patients, as such, excellent communication and relationship building skills are essential to this position, as due to the nature of the role you will need to disclose highly sensitive and emotive information.

The post holder will be involved in collaborative working with a wide range of services from across the health and social care network and third sector agencies; this will also involve working collaboratively with service users, maternity voices partnerships and psychological therapy colleagues.

The successful candidate will be provided with an exceptional orientation and induction programme, to fully prepare them for this position.

Main duties of the job

The role of Peer Support Worker has been developed specifically for people who have lived experience of having received Secondary Care Mental Health services during the Perinatal period. Through sharing wisdom from their own experiences, Peer Support Workers will inspire hope and belief that recovery is possible in others.

The role 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 process. Within a relationship of mutuality and information sharing, they will promote choice, self-determination and opportunities for the fulfilment of personally valued roles and connection to local communities.

Although the post holder will be based in Worcester, It is essential that applicants can meet the travel requirement for the post, which will involve some travel across Herefordshire and Worcestershire.

Currently, the service operates from 9am-5pm, Monday to Friday.

A few examples, of what patients have said about the team:

I wouldnt have been able to get through the birth without the Teams support.

I felt heard.

The service has been amazing

Cant believe the difference this time with the support and how I was empowered to feel in control and a part of my labour

The support I received during the pregnancy made such a positive impact on my Mental Health, postnatally

About us

At Herefordshire and Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust, we are working together to deliver outstanding care. We run community hospitals and community health services across Worcestershire and provide mental health and learning disability services across both Herefordshire and Worcestershire.

Our people (all 4500+ of them) provide services for people of all ages, experiencing both physical and/or mental health conditions from over 100 sites.

We will support you to thrive; offer flexible working options for a great work-life balance, help you fulfil your ambitions, and empower you to make positive changes within your team or service. Its why we were named Large Apprenticeship Employer of the Year award at the 2022 Worcestershire Apprenticeship Awards. We value diversity and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds, cultures, and ethnicities.

What we offer

27 days leave plus bank holidays, increasing up to 33 days with long service
Generous NHS pension and enhanced pay when you work unsocial hours
Flexible and agile working opportunities
Great maternity, paternity, and adoption support
Wide range of staff networks such as LGBT+ and ENRICH (Equality Network for Race Inclusion and Cultural Heritage)
Health service discounts and online benefits including excellent cycle to work and car salary sacrifice schemes
Health and wellbeing opportunities

If you would like to know more, please visit our careers website.

Date posted

23 April 2024

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 3

Salary

£22,816 to £24,336 a year pro rata

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

24 months

Working pattern

Part-time

Reference number

C9798-0203

Job locations

Studdert Kennedy House

Spring Gardens

Worcester

WR1 2AE

Job description

Job responsibilities

For full details of the duties and criteria for the role please refer to the job description and person specification attached.

If you would like to discuss informally if this is the right role for you, get in touch with the Recruiting Manager which can be found on the top right hand side of the advert.

Job description

Job responsibilities

For full details of the duties and criteria for the role please refer to the job description and person specification attached.

If you would like to discuss informally if this is the right role for you, get in touch with the Recruiting Manager which can be found on the top right hand side of the advert.

Person Specification

Knowledge

Essential

Understanding and practical knowledge of recovery
Understanding of the issues and concerns of mental health service users
Knowledge and commitment to service users rights
Understanding of the impact of stigma and discrimination

Desirable

Appreciation of the community resources within the geographical location of the post and key partners
Understanding of the service delivery goals of the care pathway

Qualifications

Essential

Good level of secondary education to GCSE level i.e. A-C in Maths and English or equivalent. Or be able to demonstrate equivalent levels of literacy and numeracy skills
Willingness to undertake further training in line with the development of peer support
Completion of the Accredited Peer Support Worker Training
(Equivalent to 1 module at Level 4 training i.e. 20 credits)
The post holder will be expected to meet the Care Certificate standards within 12 weeks of commencing employment with the Trust
I understand that I will be asked to provide original certificates to verify my qualifications at point of offer

Skills & Abilities

Essential

Role modelling recovery pathways
A positive attitude and able to act on feedback
Ability to praise and be supportive to others
Ability to communicate clearly and effectively in English in both verbal and written formats
Good written, verbal and non- verbal communication skills e.g., ability to communicate their personal experience of Recovery
Basic IT skills in Outlook and Word and willingness to learn the Trusts IT systems

Desirable

Computer literate in software applications such as Microsoft Word, Excel, Internet Explorer, Outlook etc.

Experience

Essential

Lived experience of perinatal mental health and accessed care from perinatal mental health services. Able to reflect on their personal experience of Recovery that has followed this
Wide range of life experiences to bring an enabling and positive view of opportunities for others.
Experience of being in a supportive and enabling role

Desirable

Experience of the health and social care service either paid or as a volunteer
Experience of training, teaching, coaching/mentoring others
Experience of working across different organisational boundaries
Experience of working in a team or a group environment
Experience of using a range of self-management or recovery tools and techniques

Person Specification

Knowledge

Essential

Understanding and practical knowledge of recovery
Understanding of the issues and concerns of mental health service users
Knowledge and commitment to service users rights
Understanding of the impact of stigma and discrimination

Desirable

Appreciation of the community resources within the geographical location of the post and key partners
Understanding of the service delivery goals of the care pathway

Qualifications

Essential

Good level of secondary education to GCSE level i.e. A-C in Maths and English or equivalent. Or be able to demonstrate equivalent levels of literacy and numeracy skills
Willingness to undertake further training in line with the development of peer support
Completion of the Accredited Peer Support Worker Training
(Equivalent to 1 module at Level 4 training i.e. 20 credits)
The post holder will be expected to meet the Care Certificate standards within 12 weeks of commencing employment with the Trust
I understand that I will be asked to provide original certificates to verify my qualifications at point of offer

Skills & Abilities

Essential

Role modelling recovery pathways
A positive attitude and able to act on feedback
Ability to praise and be supportive to others
Ability to communicate clearly and effectively in English in both verbal and written formats
Good written, verbal and non- verbal communication skills e.g., ability to communicate their personal experience of Recovery
Basic IT skills in Outlook and Word and willingness to learn the Trusts IT systems

Desirable

Computer literate in software applications such as Microsoft Word, Excel, Internet Explorer, Outlook etc.

Experience

Essential

Lived experience of perinatal mental health and accessed care from perinatal mental health services. Able to reflect on their personal experience of Recovery that has followed this
Wide range of life experiences to bring an enabling and positive view of opportunities for others.
Experience of being in a supportive and enabling role

Desirable

Experience of the health and social care service either paid or as a volunteer
Experience of training, teaching, coaching/mentoring others
Experience of working across different organisational boundaries
Experience of working in a team or a group environment
Experience of using a range of self-management or recovery tools and techniques

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.

Employer details

Employer name

Herefordshire and Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust

Address

Studdert Kennedy House

Spring Gardens

Worcester

WR1 2AE

Employer's website

https://careers.hacw.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details

Employer name

Herefordshire and Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust

Address

Studdert Kennedy House

Spring Gardens

Worcester

WR1 2AE

Employer's website

https://careers.hacw.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)