Job summary
Do you have lived experience of health challenges?
Do you want to use your own experiences of accessing NHS services to support peers joining and leaving Cambridgeshire Adult Locality Teams?
Would you like to join our friendly, dynamic and busy adult locality team here in the beautiful historic city of Cambridge as a Peer Support Worker?
Through sharing the wisdom from own lived experience, the Peer Support Worker (PSW) will inspire hope and belief that recovery is possible in others. Within a relationship of mutuality, the PSW will facilitate and support information sharing to promote choice, self-determination and opportunities for the fulfillment of socially valued roles and connection to local communities.
The teams here at Union House offer assessment and treatment for people with moderate to severe mental illness.
The service is a multidisciplinary team, which values greatly the skill sets that the various disciplines bring. Service delivery and care is very service user focused and seeks to deliver high quality effective treatment, care and support.
This role is for 8 months and will be a hybrid of office, home and community work.
Main duties of the job
To work with Cambridge Adult Locality teams who are community based services for adults aged 17-65 with moderate to severe mental illness taking on a specific role supporting service users and carers on entry into the service and some service evaluation at exit point.
As an integral and highly valued member of the multi-disciplinary team, the PSW will provide formalised peer support and practical assistance to peers and other service users in order for them to regain control over their lives and their own unique recovery process.
The PSW will take a lead role in embedding recovery values within CALT ,and act as an ambassador of Recovery for the Trust with external agencies and partner organisations.
The PSW will promote their role, through the provision of information and a range of learning opportunities for the multi-disciplinary team and others across the Trust.
To make individual contact where appropriate to welcome service users accepted onto team caseload and in so doing - explain the function of the team and different professionals within it, what to expect from the service, how duty works, collect baseline outcome data, collect consent, collect carers information, keep some contact during any waiting period for service, how to access support outside of working hours , signpost if relevant to community resources, link in with families and carers and provide similar information as above as well as carers handbook and welcome letter.
About us
Cambridgeshire & Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust is a health & social care organisation dedicated to providing high quality care with compassion to improve the health & wellbeing of the people we care for, as well as supporting & empowering them to lead a fulfilling life.
Our clinical teams deliver many NHS services not only via inpatient and primary care setting but also with the community. These services include Children, Adult & Older Peoples mental & physical health, Forensic & Specialist mental health, Learning Disabilities, Primary Care & Liaison psychiatry, Substance misuse, Social care, Research & Development.
To achieve our goal, we look to recruit high calibre candidates that share our vision & values. As an equal opportunities employer, we encourage applications from all sectors of the community, particularly from under-represented groups including disabled people & members of our ethnic minorities & LGBTQ+ communities.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please note for this role you will be required to travel independently around the county meeting strict time deadlines. You will need to hold a full UK driving licence* and have use of a vehicle. You cannot use public transport for this role as this is not a reliable form of transport and will not allow you to meet service needs. Please confirm in your application that you meet the specified criteria.
Please refer to the attached job description and person specification for full details of responsibilities
- Establish a supportive and respectful relationship with peers and other service users.
- To make individual contact where appropriate to welcome service users accepted onto team caseload and in so doing explain the function of the team and different professionals within it, what to expect from the service , how duty works, collect baseline outcome data, collect consent, collect carers information , keep some contact during any waiting period for service , how to access support outside of working hours , signpost if relevant to community resources, link in with families and carers and provide similar information as above as well as carers handbook and welcome letter .
- Help prepare service users for appointments for example to be ready with questions or for example to have accessed medication information in advance . To attend appointment if appropriate or wanted and service user has no other support.
- Model personal responsibility, self-awareness, self-belief, self-advocacy and hopefulness via the telling of own recovery story to inspire and instil confidence in peers.
- Assist peers and other service users in creating a Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP) and advanced directives .
- Share and coach coping, self-help and self-management techniques within the peer relationship.
- Support peers and other service users to identify and overcome fears and within a relationship of empathy, trust and honesty, challenge negative self-talk.
- Facilitate access to community groups and networks that enable peers and other service users to participate in community activities, in order to maximise opportunities for taking on socially valued roles and positive identity.
- Accompany peers and other service users to appointments/meetings of their choice and perform a range of practical tasks, aligned to recovery goals.
- Act as a positive role model showing professional and caring attitudes and behaviour towards other multi-disciplinary team members, peers, other service users and carers.
- Have a focus on the rights of peers and other service users at all times.
- Ensure that peers recovery goals are integrated into the Trust processes and are reviewed on a regular basis, liaising closely with care co-ordinators as necessary.
- Work in a way that acknowledges the personal, social, cultural and spiritual strengths and needs of the individual.
- Uses own initiative, personal experience and job-related training in deciding on the approach and interventions required when working with a peer or other service user in delivering peer support, although supervision is available.
- Attend multi-disciplinary team meetings to promote the use of self-directed recovery tools.
- Attend clinical review meetings to feedback progress on recovery goals.
- To raise awareness of recovery language with Trust staff by modelling positive strengths based, non-discriminatory, non-jargon, non-medicalised language in all areas of work.
- Support other members of the multi-disciplinary team in promoting a recovery orientated environment and in identifying recovery focused activities imparting information/ education as required.
- Abide by the PSW Code of Conduct, so that the central focus of your work to inspire recovery is not compromised in any way.
*DVLA have a number ofreciprocalarrangements with overseas countries, for further information please visit the DVLA website
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please note for this role you will be required to travel independently around the county meeting strict time deadlines. You will need to hold a full UK driving licence* and have use of a vehicle. You cannot use public transport for this role as this is not a reliable form of transport and will not allow you to meet service needs. Please confirm in your application that you meet the specified criteria.
Please refer to the attached job description and person specification for full details of responsibilities
- Establish a supportive and respectful relationship with peers and other service users.
- To make individual contact where appropriate to welcome service users accepted onto team caseload and in so doing explain the function of the team and different professionals within it, what to expect from the service , how duty works, collect baseline outcome data, collect consent, collect carers information , keep some contact during any waiting period for service , how to access support outside of working hours , signpost if relevant to community resources, link in with families and carers and provide similar information as above as well as carers handbook and welcome letter .
- Help prepare service users for appointments for example to be ready with questions or for example to have accessed medication information in advance . To attend appointment if appropriate or wanted and service user has no other support.
- Model personal responsibility, self-awareness, self-belief, self-advocacy and hopefulness via the telling of own recovery story to inspire and instil confidence in peers.
- Assist peers and other service users in creating a Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP) and advanced directives .
- Share and coach coping, self-help and self-management techniques within the peer relationship.
- Support peers and other service users to identify and overcome fears and within a relationship of empathy, trust and honesty, challenge negative self-talk.
- Facilitate access to community groups and networks that enable peers and other service users to participate in community activities, in order to maximise opportunities for taking on socially valued roles and positive identity.
- Accompany peers and other service users to appointments/meetings of their choice and perform a range of practical tasks, aligned to recovery goals.
- Act as a positive role model showing professional and caring attitudes and behaviour towards other multi-disciplinary team members, peers, other service users and carers.
- Have a focus on the rights of peers and other service users at all times.
- Ensure that peers recovery goals are integrated into the Trust processes and are reviewed on a regular basis, liaising closely with care co-ordinators as necessary.
- Work in a way that acknowledges the personal, social, cultural and spiritual strengths and needs of the individual.
- Uses own initiative, personal experience and job-related training in deciding on the approach and interventions required when working with a peer or other service user in delivering peer support, although supervision is available.
- Attend multi-disciplinary team meetings to promote the use of self-directed recovery tools.
- Attend clinical review meetings to feedback progress on recovery goals.
- To raise awareness of recovery language with Trust staff by modelling positive strengths based, non-discriminatory, non-jargon, non-medicalised language in all areas of work.
- Support other members of the multi-disciplinary team in promoting a recovery orientated environment and in identifying recovery focused activities imparting information/ education as required.
- Abide by the PSW Code of Conduct, so that the central focus of your work to inspire recovery is not compromised in any way.
*DVLA have a number ofreciprocalarrangements with overseas countries, for further information please visit the DVLA website
Person Specification
Education/Qualifiactions
Essential
- Good level of secondary education to GCSE level
- Completion of Peer Support Worker Training or commitment to complete within 3-6 months of employment
- Completion of own Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP) or whole life plan or commitment to complete within 3-6 months of employment
Desirable
- Level of educational attainment to NVQ 3 / AS Level or equivalent
- Related Health or Social Care qualification
Experience
Essential
- Lived experience of a long-term health condition
- Experience of using a range of self-management or recovery tools and techniques
- Experience of working in a team or a group environment
- Experience of being in a supportive and enabling role
Desirable
- Psychiatric hospital admission
Skills and Abilities
Essential
- Excellent written, verbal and non-verbal communication skills
- Computer literate in software applications within the Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Outlook etc)
- Able to relate to a wide range of people
- Ability to maintain a healthy home/work life balance
- Able to manage conflict and to help others to do so
- Ability to share personal story of recovery in a professional and appropriate manner
- Willingness to support people with a range of needs to meet their recovery goals
Knowledge and Understanding
Essential
- Understanding and practical knowledge of recovery
- Understanding of the impact of stigma and discrimination
- Understanding of the issues and concerns of mental health service users
Desirable
- Appreciation of the community resources within the geographical location of the post and key partners
Physical requirements
Essential
- Flexibility and reliability
- Sense of humour
- Respectful and compassionate
Other
Essential
- Ability to transport/accompany peers to appointments
- A willingness to work flexibly through prior arrangements as the needs of the job dictate including unsocial hours and weekends
Person Specification
Education/Qualifiactions
Essential
- Good level of secondary education to GCSE level
- Completion of Peer Support Worker Training or commitment to complete within 3-6 months of employment
- Completion of own Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP) or whole life plan or commitment to complete within 3-6 months of employment
Desirable
- Level of educational attainment to NVQ 3 / AS Level or equivalent
- Related Health or Social Care qualification
Experience
Essential
- Lived experience of a long-term health condition
- Experience of using a range of self-management or recovery tools and techniques
- Experience of working in a team or a group environment
- Experience of being in a supportive and enabling role
Desirable
- Psychiatric hospital admission
Skills and Abilities
Essential
- Excellent written, verbal and non-verbal communication skills
- Computer literate in software applications within the Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Outlook etc)
- Able to relate to a wide range of people
- Ability to maintain a healthy home/work life balance
- Able to manage conflict and to help others to do so
- Ability to share personal story of recovery in a professional and appropriate manner
- Willingness to support people with a range of needs to meet their recovery goals
Knowledge and Understanding
Essential
- Understanding and practical knowledge of recovery
- Understanding of the impact of stigma and discrimination
- Understanding of the issues and concerns of mental health service users
Desirable
- Appreciation of the community resources within the geographical location of the post and key partners
Physical requirements
Essential
- Flexibility and reliability
- Sense of humour
- Respectful and compassionate
Other
Essential
- Ability to transport/accompany peers to appointments
- A willingness to work flexibly through prior arrangements as the needs of the job dictate including unsocial hours and weekends
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).
