Senior Peer Support Worker - Iris Therapeutic Community

Job description

Job responsibilities

Duties and Responsibilities

Communication and Working Relationship Skills

To establish supportive and respectful relationships with people using mental health services and their supporters.

To support the development of peer support workers across Devon Partnership NHS Trust.

To sign-post to various resources, opportunities and activities within the Trust and in communities to promote choice and informed decision making.

To role model and support service users to identify and overcome fears within a relationship of empathy and trust.

To support clinical teams in promoting a recovery orientated environment with involvement in clearly identified quality improvements and projects.

To act as an ambassador for the Trust with external agencies and partner organisations.

To champion co-production across Devon Partnership NHS Trust

Communicate with people using services, their supporters and staff using empathy and reassurance

Work alongside multidisciplinary teams developing a shared understanding of peer support

To assist the Iris TC in supporting and promoting previous TC Experts by Experience involvement in our service planning and development.

Analytical and Judgemental Skills

To collate and contribute to analysing data for evaluation.

To assist people in identifying their own recovery goals.

To identify initiatives and evidence based programmes for delivering peer support

Planning and Organisational Skills

To plan own diary and maintain accurate records of all activity following job planning.

To contribute to presentations about peer support developments.

To actively engage with people using services and their supporters to offer opportunities to review and develop the service.

To attend meetings and any other formal/informal communication events linked to the work of the peer support programme, as directed by the Peer Support Worker Leads.

Responsibility for Patient/Client Care, Treatment and Therapy

To share ideas within the Iris TC Team on ways of achieving Recovery goals, drawing on personal experiences and a range of coping, self-help and self-management techniques.

To assist others to create their own Recovery plans make and record advance decisions.

To model personal responsibility, self-awareness, self-belief, self-advocacy and hopefulness.

To develop and deliver group-based interventions, under safe and secure clinical supervision.

Responsibility for Policy and Service Development Implementation

To contribute to policy reviewing and protocol writing where required to do so.

To comply with all DPT policies, protocols, procedures relevant to the role.

To report any observed incidence of unprofessional behaviour, accidents/incidents, untoward occurrences or faulty equipment.

To participate professionally in service development and proposed service changes where required to do so.

To take part in any audit processes as required.

Comply with universal Infection Control precautions and procedures.

To complete all core training requirements and other appropriate training courses pertinent to the role, as agreed with the Peer Support Worker Leads.

Responsibility for Finance, Equipment and Other Resources

Assist in maintaining safety and security of working environments.

Helping to maintain cleanliness and tidiness of working environments (including equipment).

To have knowledge and understanding of counter fraud.

The post holder will have no direct responsibility for finance, but they will need to adhere to relevant Trust policies on financial issues.

To use Trust NHS resources in a sustainable way

To develop and share peer support resources where required to do so.

Responsibility for Human Resources, e.g. Supervision, Training, HR Advice and Management

To actively participate in regular management supervision from their line manager and engage in an annual appraisal in accordance with Trust policy.

To participate in and support students learning along with other members of the team.

Responsibility for Information Resources and Administrative Duties

Maintain up to date electronic records in a timely and accurate manner.

To regularly access email and other information through the Trusts intranet

Maintain confidentiality of information being aware of Trust policies and local protocols and keeping up-to-date with changes.

Work in accordance with lone working policy.

Responsibility for Research and Development

To identify personal developmental needs in conjunction with Line Manager and recovery-focused supervision.

Involvement in research projects and service improvement/ development initiatives where agreed with the Peer Support Worker Lead.

Freedom to Act

Works within the standard operational procedures of the peer support team.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• QUALIFICATIONS & TRAINING
• Diploma or equivalent appropriate qualification, e.g. foundation degree; or NVQ3 level qualification plus short courses or relevant experience to diploma level or equivalent level of knowledge training and experience.
• To be computer literate in Microsoft office

Desirable

• Accredited Peer Support Work qualification

Experience

Essential

• To have lived experience of mental health challenges as a user of services
• To have experience of recovering a meaningful life
• To have experience of being in a supportive and enabling role

Desirable

• To have experience as a Peer Support Worker in the NHS or other organisation
• To have experience of Therapeutic Communities

Knowledge

Essential

• Ability to share personal story of recovery in a professional manner
• Knowledge in how to assist people develop recovery plans
• Ability and willingness to reflect on work practice and be open to constructive feedback
• Ability to work in an enabling and creative way
• Willingness to support people with a range of needs to meet their recovery goals
• Ability to manage stress and to plan and prioritise workload
• Ability to carry out practical tasks
• Ability to maintain a healthy home/work life balance
• Understanding and practical knowledge of recovery
• Understanding of the issues and concerns of mental health service users
• Knowledge and commitment to service users rights
• Understanding of the impact of stigma and discrimination

Desirable

• Knowledge of Mental Health Legislation
• Knowledge of local policies in respect of safeguarding children and the protection of
• vulnerable adults

skills and Abilities

Essential

• Communication and Working Relationship Skills
• Excellent written, verbal and non-verbal communication skills.
• To communicate effectively with a range of service users, carers, professionals and
• agencies
• Receiving highly complex and sensitive information. Persuasive and reassurance skills
• required
• Ability to develop and maintain sound working relationships with all members of the multidisciplinary
• teams
• To be aware of professional roles within the therapeutic relationship
• Willingness to use the Trust IT systems
• Professional in appearance and behaviour
• Able to manage conflict and to help others to do so
• Good team-working skills
• Analytical & Judgemental Skills
• High level of self-awareness ability to critically appraise own performance
• Demonstrate an ability and awareness to maintain personal boundaries
• Problem solving skills
• Able to handle and present data in different formats
• Planning & Organisational Skills
• Able to organise and plan own work activities
• To take leadership and direction from qualified staff.
• Able to work alongside Band 3 Peer Support Workers and offer support to students and volunteers
• Able to offer direction to others

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.

Employer details

Employer name

Devon Partnership NHS Trust

Address

Iris Centre

Franklyn Hospital

Exeter

Devon

EX2 9HS

Employer's website

https://www.dpt.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)