Job summary
The DIALOG+ Peer Support Workers role is to support Black Service Users, their carers and care teams to complete the Dialog outcome measure in a culturally appropriate and person-centred manner. The Dialog will contribute to the development of a care plan that will support the needs of service users and their carers. This work is part of a wider programme called the Patient Carer Race Equality Framework (PCREF), which is a Trust-wide initiative to improve equity in access, experience, and outcomes for all our communities, with an initial focus on Black communities.
Main duties of the job
DIALOG+ Peer Support Workers will use their own lived experiences of mental health issues/services to help others, by providing a space where individuals feel respected, accepted, and understood. They will support community mental health teams with the completion of Dialog and Dialog +, to ensure that care plans are person-centred and in-line with people's recovery goals.
The role will include building positive relationships with Black service users and carers, in groups and one to one. The role will also involve supporting staff to collaboratively co-produce care plans with Black service users and their carers, through the completion of Dialog + conversations.
DIALOG+ ensures that care plans are co-produced and culturally appropriate between staff, patients, and carers/families. DIALOG+ peer support workers will help create person centred and meaningful care plans with a particular focus on advice on access to treatment and mental health support (e.g., psychological therapies, housing, employment), with support and guidance from the Trust mental health teams and PCREF Croydon Community Independent Advisory Group (IAG).
About us
South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust (SLaM) provide the widest range of NHS mental health services and substance misuse services for people who are addicted to drugs and alcohol in the UK. SLaM works closely with the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN), King's College London and are part of King's Health Partners Academic Health Sciences Centre.
SLaM employ around 5000 staff and serve a local population of 1.1 million people. We have more than 230 services including inpatient wards, outpatient and community services. Currently, provide inpatient care for approximately 5,300 people each year and treat more than 45,000 patients in the community in Croydon, Lambeth, Lewisham, and Southwark and substance misuse services for residents of Bexley, Bromley and Greenwich.
By coming to work at SLaM, you will gain experience of being part of an organisation with a rich history and international reputation in mental health care. You will have access to professional development and learning opportunities and have the chance to work alongside people who are world leaders in their field. SLaM delivered more than 14,000 training experiences in 2014: providing an extensive range of learning opportunities for staff at all levels. In addition, our working relationship with King's Health Partners allows those working at the Trust to get involved in academic research.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The full job description provides an overview of the key tasks and responsibilities of the role and the person specification outlines the qualifications, skills, experience and knowledge required. For both overviews please view the Job Description attachment with the job advert.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The full job description provides an overview of the key tasks and responsibilities of the role and the person specification outlines the qualifications, skills, experience and knowledge required. For both overviews please view the Job Description attachment with the job advert.
Person Specification
Experience
Essential
- Lived experience and/or awareness of racism or discrimination in the provision of mental health services
- A commitment to working in an anti-racist and anti-oppressive way
- Black Person (African Caribbean) heritage including Mixed Ethnic Background
- Leadership/management/coordination
Desirable
- Experience of identifying and meeting the needs of individual people from assessment, care plans, discharge and community provisions
- Experience of working in an advocacy or care setting with vulnerable adults
Knowledge and Skills
Essential
- Ability to learn and develop new skills
- Interpersonal skills and ability to work with people
- Communication skills, both written and oral, and computer literacy
- Good organisational skills and ability to work flexibly to meet varying demands on the service
Desirable
- An ability to act calmly and to respond in a professional manner to distress, disturbance, and unpredictability
Qualifications
Essential
- Undertaken or willing to undertake peer support worker or coproduction/ facilitation training
- Commitment to obtain underpinning knowledge through work based learning and mandatory training
Desirable
- Health and Social Care NVQ Level 2 or equivalent
- Further education qualification in health / mental health / psychology related subject
Person Specification
Experience
Essential
- Lived experience and/or awareness of racism or discrimination in the provision of mental health services
- A commitment to working in an anti-racist and anti-oppressive way
- Black Person (African Caribbean) heritage including Mixed Ethnic Background
- Leadership/management/coordination
Desirable
- Experience of identifying and meeting the needs of individual people from assessment, care plans, discharge and community provisions
- Experience of working in an advocacy or care setting with vulnerable adults
Knowledge and Skills
Essential
- Ability to learn and develop new skills
- Interpersonal skills and ability to work with people
- Communication skills, both written and oral, and computer literacy
- Good organisational skills and ability to work flexibly to meet varying demands on the service
Desirable
- An ability to act calmly and to respond in a professional manner to distress, disturbance, and unpredictability
Qualifications
Essential
- Undertaken or willing to undertake peer support worker or coproduction/ facilitation training
- Commitment to obtain underpinning knowledge through work based learning and mandatory training
Desirable
- Health and Social Care NVQ Level 2 or equivalent
- Further education qualification in health / mental health / psychology related subject
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).
