Job summary
Do you have prior lived experience of ill-mental health, either yourself, or as a carer?
This advert is recruiting for a Peer Support Worker within the Oxford Health Buckinghamshire Adult Mental Health Service.
Peer Support Workers (PSWs) are people who have their own lived experience of mental health challenges or have supported/cared for someone with mental health challenges. They use empathy informed by their own experiences to support service users/families who are accessing mental health services.
Is this right for me?
If you are thinking of applying, The Trust strongly recommends attendance at one of the Peer Support Worker information sessions. These sessions will help you understand more about the role so you can make an informed decision if the job is right for you.
There are two dates to choose from:
Thursday 25th July 12.30pm-1.30pm MS Teams
Wednesday 31st July 5.15pm-6.15pm MS Teams
Booking is essential. Please email:peersupport@oxfordhealth.nhs.ukand state which session you would like to attend. Please note if you do not register your attendance in advance you will not be able to attend.
Main duties of the job
The core function of this post is to offer peer support to service users within Buckinghamshire mental health services. The Peer Support Worker will demonstrate best practice in relation to the application of recovery principles within their practice. Peer Support Workers model the recovery principles together with personal responsibility, self-awareness and self-care whilst undertaking the duties of the role.
The Peer Support Worker role sees the introduction of lived experience into everyday practice. Depending on service need, PSW's offer a variation of group and one to one work and will work within the multi-disciplinary team to support a service users recovery journey. The post holder will facilitate formal and informal learning, working with staff in clinical practice and supporting clinical teams to develop recovery-based practice.
Please see attached document regarding the eligibility criteria for this role and ensure you have read this carefully.
About us
Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust provides physical, mental health and social care for people of all ages across Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Swindon, Wiltshire, Bath and North East Somerset.
Our services are delivered at community bases, hospitals, clinics and people's homes, delivering care as close to home as possible
Our vision is that no matter who you are or where you are, you will tell us that you receive:"Outstanding care delivered by an outstanding team"
Our values are:"Caring, safe and excellent"
At Oxford Health we offer a wide range of benefits designed to support your career and wellbeing. These include:
- Excellent opportunities for career progression
- Access to tailored individual and Trust wide learning and development
- 27 days annual leave, plus bank holidays, rising to 33 days with continuous service
- NHS Discount across a wide range of shops, restaurants and retailers
- Competitive pension scheme
- Lease car scheme
- Cycle to work scheme
- Employee Assistance Programme
- Mental Health First Aiders
- Staff accommodation (please note waiting lists may apply)
- Staff networking and support groups hosted by our Equality, Diversity & Inclusion team
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please note, applications for this role close on Sunday 4th August. Interview dates will take place between Tuesday 27th August Thursday 5thSeptember 2024.
Sapphire ward is an acute male inpatient ward with capacity to accommodate, assess and treat up to 20 men between the ages of 18-65, who are experiencing organic or functional mental health challenges.
We aim to give patients the best possible care on a 24-hour basis, with our successful Peer Support Worker able to work hours within the typical 9-5 timeframe if preferred. The Peer Support Worker will use their lived experience of mental health challenges, to provide hope to patients through sharing their mutual experiences. The Peer Support Worker will receive training to be able to offer 1:1 support upon admission, throughout the patients stay, and prior to discharge. They will also be involved in facilitating groups and activities and provide support and signposting to patients and their carers. They will focus on promoting patient recovery, goals for the future and supporting their return home.
This post is based in Buckinghamshire, with the successful candidate working at the Whiteleaf Centre. This is a part-time role for between 22.5 and 28.5 hours per week. Please discuss your preference of exact days and hours to be worked at interview.
Were looking for people who are compassionate, can work well in a team, highly motivated and have excellent written and verbal communication skills. You will be provided with training for the role and given the opportunity to complete the national recognised care certificate.
Oxford Health offer the Peer Support Training programme as a nationally recognised accredited Level 3 Apprenticeship (fully funded by Oxford Health).
The Peer Worker Apprenticeship is completed over a period of 15-19 months depending on whether a Peer Support Worker works part time or full time.
Eligibility criteria to enrol on the Apprenticeship includes having GCSE/Level 2 Maths and English qualifications. You will be expected to provide evidence of these qualifications. If you do not have these qualifications, we would still welcome your application for consideration, but you would need to complete The Trusts functional skills courses on Maths and/or English whilst in the role before enrolling on the Apprenticeship. All new Peer Support Workers will be provided with training for the role and support from a tutor and supervisor within their working hours.
Drawing on lived experience of mental health to provide emotional and practical support to an allocated group of service users to promote their recovery. This may include avoidance of admission and/or promoting recovery for inpatients by helping them to identify and build their own support network
Lived experience:
- To support service users to engage effectively with care being offered and access appropriate services
- Drawing upon lived experience & using active listening to inspire hope, offer empathy, empowerment, confidence building & validate a service users feelings
- To build relationships that are founded on the value of mutuality which will facilitate the provision of regular and practical support, both one to one and via group facilitation, to service users in developing and managing independence and maintaining dignity and self-respect
- To positively promote independent living of service users through role-modelling individual recovery journeys
- To have the individual service users needs always at the forefront of the PSWs practice and to use the skills incorporated in the Peer Support Training to underpin their practice.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please note, applications for this role close on Sunday 4th August. Interview dates will take place between Tuesday 27th August Thursday 5thSeptember 2024.
Sapphire ward is an acute male inpatient ward with capacity to accommodate, assess and treat up to 20 men between the ages of 18-65, who are experiencing organic or functional mental health challenges.
We aim to give patients the best possible care on a 24-hour basis, with our successful Peer Support Worker able to work hours within the typical 9-5 timeframe if preferred. The Peer Support Worker will use their lived experience of mental health challenges, to provide hope to patients through sharing their mutual experiences. The Peer Support Worker will receive training to be able to offer 1:1 support upon admission, throughout the patients stay, and prior to discharge. They will also be involved in facilitating groups and activities and provide support and signposting to patients and their carers. They will focus on promoting patient recovery, goals for the future and supporting their return home.
This post is based in Buckinghamshire, with the successful candidate working at the Whiteleaf Centre. This is a part-time role for between 22.5 and 28.5 hours per week. Please discuss your preference of exact days and hours to be worked at interview.
Were looking for people who are compassionate, can work well in a team, highly motivated and have excellent written and verbal communication skills. You will be provided with training for the role and given the opportunity to complete the national recognised care certificate.
Oxford Health offer the Peer Support Training programme as a nationally recognised accredited Level 3 Apprenticeship (fully funded by Oxford Health).
The Peer Worker Apprenticeship is completed over a period of 15-19 months depending on whether a Peer Support Worker works part time or full time.
Eligibility criteria to enrol on the Apprenticeship includes having GCSE/Level 2 Maths and English qualifications. You will be expected to provide evidence of these qualifications. If you do not have these qualifications, we would still welcome your application for consideration, but you would need to complete The Trusts functional skills courses on Maths and/or English whilst in the role before enrolling on the Apprenticeship. All new Peer Support Workers will be provided with training for the role and support from a tutor and supervisor within their working hours.
Drawing on lived experience of mental health to provide emotional and practical support to an allocated group of service users to promote their recovery. This may include avoidance of admission and/or promoting recovery for inpatients by helping them to identify and build their own support network
Lived experience:
- To support service users to engage effectively with care being offered and access appropriate services
- Drawing upon lived experience & using active listening to inspire hope, offer empathy, empowerment, confidence building & validate a service users feelings
- To build relationships that are founded on the value of mutuality which will facilitate the provision of regular and practical support, both one to one and via group facilitation, to service users in developing and managing independence and maintaining dignity and self-respect
- To positively promote independent living of service users through role-modelling individual recovery journeys
- To have the individual service users needs always at the forefront of the PSWs practice and to use the skills incorporated in the Peer Support Training to underpin their practice.
Person Specification
Experience
Essential
- The ability to offer specialist support using their personal experience of recovery
Desirable
- To have experience of working within a supportive and enabling role
Personal Qualities
Essential
- Able to use own initiative when appropriate
- The ability to develop and maintain sound working relationships with all members of the multidisciplinary team
Knowledge/Qualifications
Desirable
- Knowledge of mental health conditions
Person Specification
Experience
Essential
- The ability to offer specialist support using their personal experience of recovery
Desirable
- To have experience of working within a supportive and enabling role
Personal Qualities
Essential
- Able to use own initiative when appropriate
- The ability to develop and maintain sound working relationships with all members of the multidisciplinary team
Knowledge/Qualifications
Desirable
- Knowledge of mental health conditions
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.
