Job summary
This is a unique opportunity in SLaM Trust to take up a role as a Peer Support Worker (PSW) Coordinator in the Behavioural & Developmental Psychiatry Directorate.
The peer support workforce within South London and Maudsley Trust is growing, so this is an exciting time to join our team. PSWs use their lived experience to inspire hope that change is possible. Our PSWs develop and maintain the infrastructure and support to ensure that our peer workers are empowered to use their lived experience safely and effectively.
The PSW will be responsible for overseeing the development of peer support across the BDP. As this is a temporary contract, until April 2025, the successful candidate will have to have excellent communication skills and be able to use their own initiative. Ideally the successful candidate will have experience of setting up new projects or new services within NHS.
The post holder will contribute their lived experience and expertise in supporting the organisation to embed peer-led, recovery-focused services. The successful candidate will draw upon their experience of as a peer worker, to provide specialist expertise to a team of clinicians and others involved in this service development.
We are looking to recruit an enthusiastic, compassionate and motivated individual with lived experience of mental health difficulties. We would particularly like to hear from those who have experience as a peer worker who are looking to develop the next steps in their career.
Main duties of the job
The aim of this role is to support Black patients in forensic services. This role will need individuals who acknowledge the inherent challenges of racism for Black communities within traditional mental health services. Empowering patients through ACDs and involving them in decision-making can reduce coercion and co-produced treatment plans. The role will include building positive relationships with Black service users and carers, in groups and one to one. The role will also involve encouraging Black service users and carers to coproduce care plans and advocate for themselves; gathering information to inform them of their options and providing formal feedback to staff in secure settings and the PCREF Forensic Triple Leadership team.
The postholder will supported by a new Peer Support Worker Coordinator post for the Directorate and well as line management by the Head of Psychology & Psychotherapy, who is a Joint Senior Staff lead for PCREF in the Directorate. The postholder will join a team of PSW's working on other aspects of the PCREF project plan.
About us
The service lines within the Behavioural & Developmental Psychiatry Operational Directorate include in-patient and community clinic Neurodevelopmental Services, Mental Health and Learning Disability Community Services and in-patient medium and low security wards and community Forensic Services across Croydon, Lambeth, Lewisham, and Southwark, and Court Mental Health Liaison and Diversion Services. The Forensic Pathway is an integral part of the South London Partnership (SLP) acute pathway and rehabilitation pathways. There are close links other mental health services, prisons and criminal justice agencies.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The role covers a number of domains:
Leadership, supervision, and appraisal
To support the development, implementation, and review of Peer Support Workforce in line with trust-wide strategy while strategically planning and guiding the development peer support
Plan and facilitate group supervision for PSW
To participate in the appraisals and professional supervision for a variety of PSW
Provide assistance, support and information for those line managing and supervising Peer Workers across BDPs services.
Service Development
Existing roles for PSW are dedicated to Patient & Carer Race Equality Framework developments in Advanced Choice Documents and Culturally-congruent Substance Use Harm Minimisation across the Forensic Pathway. There will be a requirement to identify opportunities for PSWs posts developments across BDP, supporting managers to introduce new roles in the Neurodevelopmental Disorder (NDD) service. The post-holder to be involved with PSWs recruitment and to sit in on PSWs interviews for services across BDP.
To carry a small caseload working within guidance from the MDT
Evaluation, Learning and Development will also be key.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The role covers a number of domains:
Leadership, supervision, and appraisal
To support the development, implementation, and review of Peer Support Workforce in line with trust-wide strategy while strategically planning and guiding the development peer support
Plan and facilitate group supervision for PSW
To participate in the appraisals and professional supervision for a variety of PSW
Provide assistance, support and information for those line managing and supervising Peer Workers across BDPs services.
Service Development
Existing roles for PSW are dedicated to Patient & Carer Race Equality Framework developments in Advanced Choice Documents and Culturally-congruent Substance Use Harm Minimisation across the Forensic Pathway. There will be a requirement to identify opportunities for PSWs posts developments across BDP, supporting managers to introduce new roles in the Neurodevelopmental Disorder (NDD) service. The post-holder to be involved with PSWs recruitment and to sit in on PSWs interviews for services across BDP.
To carry a small caseload working within guidance from the MDT
Evaluation, Learning and Development will also be key.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Educated to degree level
- Peer Support Supervision Training
Desirable
- Recovery College training
- Project Management Training
- Quality Improvement Training
Experience
Essential
- Experience of using mental health services
- Experience as Peer Worker or Peer Worker trainer
- Experience of working with mental health services (statutory or voluntary sector)
- Experience and commitment to co-production
- Experience of developing and delivering training
- Experience of working across organisational boundaries
- Experience of successful project management
- Experience of supervising staff
- Experience of recruitment
- Experience of challenging discrimination and stigma
Desirable
- Experience of carrying out audit or service evaluation projects.
- Experience of using forensic or learning disability services
- Experience of managing change
- Experience of developing good quality materials/media for a wide range of audiences
- Experience of facilitating groups
knowledge/skills
Essential
- Knowledge of the theory and practice of Peer Support
- Knowledge of national policies and strategies relating to peer support
- Clear understanding of social inclusion, recovery and how peer support can support personal recovery
- Excellent communication skills
- Excellent presentation skills
- Knowledge of Behavioural & Developmental Psychiatry Directorate
Desirable
- Understanding the impact of anti-oppressive practice
- Understanding of Trauma Informed Care
Equality and Diversity
Essential
- Commitment to tackling inequality, eliminating discrimination and harassment
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Educated to degree level
- Peer Support Supervision Training
Desirable
- Recovery College training
- Project Management Training
- Quality Improvement Training
Experience
Essential
- Experience of using mental health services
- Experience as Peer Worker or Peer Worker trainer
- Experience of working with mental health services (statutory or voluntary sector)
- Experience and commitment to co-production
- Experience of developing and delivering training
- Experience of working across organisational boundaries
- Experience of successful project management
- Experience of supervising staff
- Experience of recruitment
- Experience of challenging discrimination and stigma
Desirable
- Experience of carrying out audit or service evaluation projects.
- Experience of using forensic or learning disability services
- Experience of managing change
- Experience of developing good quality materials/media for a wide range of audiences
- Experience of facilitating groups
knowledge/skills
Essential
- Knowledge of the theory and practice of Peer Support
- Knowledge of national policies and strategies relating to peer support
- Clear understanding of social inclusion, recovery and how peer support can support personal recovery
- Excellent communication skills
- Excellent presentation skills
- Knowledge of Behavioural & Developmental Psychiatry Directorate
Desirable
- Understanding the impact of anti-oppressive practice
- Understanding of Trauma Informed Care
Equality and Diversity
Essential
- Commitment to tackling inequality, eliminating discrimination and harassment
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).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
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).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
