Job summary
We are recruiting a Peer Support Coordinator to develop the peer support offer on Avalon Ward, our adult eating disorder inpatient ward. It is essential that applicants have personal lived experience of accessing specialist eating disorder inpatient, outpatient and community services.
You will have experience of introducing peer support into mental health services, and be skilled in planning and facilating one to one and group peer support with people affected by eating disorders.
The post is funded through the Culture of Care Programme, and is fixed term for two years. The post holder may opt to work one to two days per week. You will be knowledgeable in, and able to apply quality improvement methods in the development of your role.
The Peer Support Coordinator will join a vibrant and ambitious Lived Experience Workforce, supported by the Involvement Team.
Main duties of the job
- To support the aims of the Culture of Care, Ward Level Quality Improvement (QI) on Avalon Ward, working in partnership with the Involvement Project Lead and Avalon Ward's Project Team Leads.
- To develop peer-led recovery focused support and activities within adult eating disorder inpatient services over a 2-year period.
- To co-design and co-deliver a peer support offer on Avalon Ward, including group and one to one peer support and peer led activities to support inpatients with elements of their recovery.
- To act as a role model to patients to inspire hope, share life experiences and lessons learned as a person in recovery.
- To provide a management and supervision function for volunteers and staff involved in the delivery of peer-led recovery focused support and activities.
- To use your personal lived experience of mental health challenges and recovery to support individuals in acute inpatient settings. Working alongside the multidisciplinary team, you will provide emotional and practical support, model recovery, and empower service users to take an active role in their care.
- This role includes a higher level of responsibility including service development and quality improvement, and the post holder will work autonomously within the multidisciplinary team, mentoring junior peer support workers, and leading peer support initiatives within inpatient settings.
About us
The Involvement Team is made up of individuals with lived experience of mental distress and of using mental health services and this is an essential criterion for any applicant. The team advocates for the development of impactful coproduction and involvement and supports the Trust to implement the Unified Approach to Coproduction & Involvement, Service User and Carer Experience (2022-2025).
The team are concerned with 4 primary workstreams and this role is focused on workstream 1, 3 & 4.
1. Coproduction & Involvement
2. The Volunteer Workforce
3. The Lived Experience Workforce
4. Carers Initiatives (including the Triangle of Care)
About our locations:
Springfield University Hospital, Tooting
Our largest, 19-ward site is in Springfield Village, created following our £150m investment into two new world class mental health facilities. A 32-acre public park, shops and cafes are now opening. Springfield is close to shops, cafes and Tooting Bec on the Northern Line plus Earlsfield and Tooting rail stations and bus routes.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Quality Improvement & Service Development
- To support the implementation of NHS Englands Culture of Care Standards for Inpatient Wards on Avalon Ward.
- To work with the Involvement Project lead and Avalon Wards Project Team Leads to support the Ward Level, Culture of Care, Quality Improvement (QI) Workstream on Avalon Ward.
- To support the ongoing engagement of inpatients, family, and friends in the Culture of Care quality improvement process using PDSA cycles.
- To co-design and co-deliver a peer support offer on Avalon Ward, including group and one to one peer support and peer led activities to support inpatients with elements of their recovery.
Service User Support and Peer Advocacy
- Provide structured peer-led interventions that promote recovery, resilience, and self-management.
- Support service users in crisis, helping them develop and implement personalised crisis, contingency, and recovery plans.
- Assist individuals in self-advocacy, supporting participation in ward rounds, meetings, and decision-making about their care.
- Conduct debriefs following restrictive interventions and provide feedback to senior leadership.
- Facilitate group-based peer support programmes tailored to the needs of service users in acute settings.
- Proactively signpost to community services, supporting seamless transitions from inpatient care.
- Support service users in co-producing their own care plans, ensuring their needs and preferences are central to decision-making.
Leadership and Service Development
- Take a lead role in promoting a recovery-oriented culture within inpatient teams, advocating for peer-led practices and approaches.
- Act as a peer mentor and role model for junior peer support workers, providing guidance, training, and supervision.
- Lead and develop peer-led initiatives within the inpatient setting, ensuring the lived experience workforce contributes meaningfully to service improvements.
- Participate in service development projects, including co-production of policies, staff training, and quality improvement initiatives.
- Contribute to Trust-wide peer support workforce development, attending meetings and supporting recruitment and training of new peer workers.
Team Collaboration & Communication
Work independently and proactively within the multidisciplinary team, ensuring peer support is an integral part of service delivery.
Communicate effectively with service users, carers, and colleagues, ensuring the peer support approach is well understood and valued.
Identify when it is appropriate to share lived experience in a safe, supportive, and professional manner.
Support service users in understanding their rights, including access to advocacy and service user involvement opportunities.
Assist with the admission, transfer, and discharge process, ensuring service users are supported throughout their inpatient stay.
Personal and Professional Development
Participate in regular peer support supervision and training programmes to enhance professional skills.
Develop leadership skills, contributing to service improvement initiatives and supporting the growth of the peer workforce.
Engage in Trust-wide peer networks, attending and presenting at workshops, forums, and conferences.
Provide training and education to multidisciplinary colleagues on the value of peer support and lived experience roles.
Ensure all interventions and interactions adhere to Trust policies and safeguarding principles.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Quality Improvement & Service Development
- To support the implementation of NHS Englands Culture of Care Standards for Inpatient Wards on Avalon Ward.
- To work with the Involvement Project lead and Avalon Wards Project Team Leads to support the Ward Level, Culture of Care, Quality Improvement (QI) Workstream on Avalon Ward.
- To support the ongoing engagement of inpatients, family, and friends in the Culture of Care quality improvement process using PDSA cycles.
- To co-design and co-deliver a peer support offer on Avalon Ward, including group and one to one peer support and peer led activities to support inpatients with elements of their recovery.
Service User Support and Peer Advocacy
- Provide structured peer-led interventions that promote recovery, resilience, and self-management.
- Support service users in crisis, helping them develop and implement personalised crisis, contingency, and recovery plans.
- Assist individuals in self-advocacy, supporting participation in ward rounds, meetings, and decision-making about their care.
- Conduct debriefs following restrictive interventions and provide feedback to senior leadership.
- Facilitate group-based peer support programmes tailored to the needs of service users in acute settings.
- Proactively signpost to community services, supporting seamless transitions from inpatient care.
- Support service users in co-producing their own care plans, ensuring their needs and preferences are central to decision-making.
Leadership and Service Development
- Take a lead role in promoting a recovery-oriented culture within inpatient teams, advocating for peer-led practices and approaches.
- Act as a peer mentor and role model for junior peer support workers, providing guidance, training, and supervision.
- Lead and develop peer-led initiatives within the inpatient setting, ensuring the lived experience workforce contributes meaningfully to service improvements.
- Participate in service development projects, including co-production of policies, staff training, and quality improvement initiatives.
- Contribute to Trust-wide peer support workforce development, attending meetings and supporting recruitment and training of new peer workers.
Team Collaboration & Communication
Work independently and proactively within the multidisciplinary team, ensuring peer support is an integral part of service delivery.
Communicate effectively with service users, carers, and colleagues, ensuring the peer support approach is well understood and valued.
Identify when it is appropriate to share lived experience in a safe, supportive, and professional manner.
Support service users in understanding their rights, including access to advocacy and service user involvement opportunities.
Assist with the admission, transfer, and discharge process, ensuring service users are supported throughout their inpatient stay.
Personal and Professional Development
Participate in regular peer support supervision and training programmes to enhance professional skills.
Develop leadership skills, contributing to service improvement initiatives and supporting the growth of the peer workforce.
Engage in Trust-wide peer networks, attending and presenting at workshops, forums, and conferences.
Provide training and education to multidisciplinary colleagues on the value of peer support and lived experience roles.
Ensure all interventions and interactions adhere to Trust policies and safeguarding principles.
Person Specification
TRAINING & QUALIFICATIONS
Essential
- Completion of Peer Support Worker Training
- Good standard of education with a relevant qualification AS Level, NVQ 3 or equivalent or Key Skills in Literacy and Numeracy Level 2 (or willing to achieve within 2 years) and equivalent experience of providing peer support in the mental health sector
Desirable
- Peer Support Worker supervisor training
- Peer Leadership qualification
- Quality Improvement Training / Qualification
EXPERIENCE
Essential
- Personal experience of living with an eating disorder
- Personal experience of accessing specialist eating disorder inpatient, outpatient and community services.
- Experience of offering one to one and group peer support to people with eating disorders.
- Experience of facilitating peerled groups and activities in mental health settings.
- Experience of introducing peer support into mental health services.
- Experience of designing and delivering training and facilitating groups.
- Experience of using recovery tools to support your own and others recovery
- Ability to self-manage recovery and maintain professional boundaries
- Ability to articulate peer support principles, benefits and outcomes
- Experience mentoring, coaching or supporting others using lived experience
- Experience in co-production, quality improvement, or service user involvement
- Recent experience of working in the mental health sector within a team-based environment.
- Experience of supporting facilitation and development of a Peer Support group
Desirable
- Experience of managing and developing a project or service.
- Recruitment and performance management of staff/volunteers
Person Specification
TRAINING & QUALIFICATIONS
Essential
- Completion of Peer Support Worker Training
- Good standard of education with a relevant qualification AS Level, NVQ 3 or equivalent or Key Skills in Literacy and Numeracy Level 2 (or willing to achieve within 2 years) and equivalent experience of providing peer support in the mental health sector
Desirable
- Peer Support Worker supervisor training
- Peer Leadership qualification
- Quality Improvement Training / Qualification
EXPERIENCE
Essential
- Personal experience of living with an eating disorder
- Personal experience of accessing specialist eating disorder inpatient, outpatient and community services.
- Experience of offering one to one and group peer support to people with eating disorders.
- Experience of facilitating peerled groups and activities in mental health settings.
- Experience of introducing peer support into mental health services.
- Experience of designing and delivering training and facilitating groups.
- Experience of using recovery tools to support your own and others recovery
- Ability to self-manage recovery and maintain professional boundaries
- Ability to articulate peer support principles, benefits and outcomes
- Experience mentoring, coaching or supporting others using lived experience
- Experience in co-production, quality improvement, or service user involvement
- Recent experience of working in the mental health sector within a team-based environment.
- Experience of supporting facilitation and development of a Peer Support group
Desirable
- Experience of managing and developing a project or service.
- Recruitment and performance management of staff/volunteers
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).
