Skip to main content

This site is independent of the NHS and the Department of Health.

Please wait, loading

Job summary

Main area
Peer Support Worker
Grade
Band 3
Contract
Permanent
Hours
  • Part time
  • Flexible working
22.5 hours per week
Job ref
246-CNN6417903
Employer
Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust
Employer type
NHS
Site
The City Anchorage
Town
Norwich, Norfolk
Salary
£22,816 - £24,336 Per annum, pro rata
Salary period
Yearly
Closing
16/07/2024 23:59
Interview date
23/07/2024

Employer heading

Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust logo

Peer Support Worker- Community

Band 3

Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust provides child and adult mental health services, learning disability, wellbeing, older people's and eating disorder services across Norfolk and Suffolk.

At any one time, around 23,000 people in Norfolk and Suffolk are receiving care and attention from the Trust. We believe in whole life care - seeing people in the context of their whole lives, understanding the importance of good physical health, friends, family, spirituality, culture, home, work, education and a sense of purpose and achievement to experience good mental health.

Nearly 3,800 full and part-time practitioners care for our service users in hospitals, in the community and in their own homes, whilst an additional 1,400+ staff provide non-clinical support, including cleaning, catering, delivering supplies, ward administration, information technology, human resources and financial services.

We are committed to equality, diversity and inclusion and want to reflect the diversity of our local communities within our teams.  We welcome applications from all talented individuals with the relevant qualifications, skills, knowledge and experience.

We are committed to delivering quality driven mental health services. Every individual makes a valuable contribution. We are proud of our staff who have been commended for the care they provide. Do you value working positively, respectfully and together? If so, we’d love you to join us!

We will consider flexible working arrangements for our roles, please indicate in your application if this is something you require

JOB DESCRIPTION/PERSON SPECIFICATION
Please read the job description/person specification carefully and ensure your application reflects the knowledge, skills and experience needed.

YOUR APPLICATION
It is important that you complete a formal application form as CV’s alone will not be accepted.

We can provide all our job application materials in alternative formats so that these are accessible to everyone. Should you require any documents within this job pack in an alternative format, please do not hesitate to contact us at [email protected].

PLEASE NOTE: If you use a hotmail, msn or yahoo e-mail account, you will need to check your "junk" mail regularly as these email providers will divert any communication from this Trust/NHS JOBS straight into your " junk" inbox.

Job overview

The Community Peer Support Workers (PSW) will be based in City 2 Community Mental Health Team (CMHT). City 2 is a Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT) including Consultant Psychiatrists, Nurses, Social Worker, Assistant Practitioners, both Clinical and Peer Support Workers. We cover the Norwich City Central area and work with a wide range of patients who have a variety of presenting mental health difficulties.

The PSW role is an integral and highly valued part of the Multi-Disciplinary Team, the PSW will provide formalised peer support and practical assistance to service users to help them regain control over their lives and enable their own unique recovery journey. They will act as a role model to peers, carers, staff, and others from a ‘lived experience’ perspective.

PSWs will show empathy, share experiences, inspire hope, and promote personal recovery, with the aim of assisting service users on both a 1:1 and group basis, to gain and maintain their independence in the community. The PSW will act as an ambassador of recovery within the service setting.

Main duties of the job

To undertake the Care Certificate within the first 12 weeks of employment – or have an existing qualification/programme of learning agreed as meeting wholly or partially, the standards of the Care Certificate.
To work with the MDT in the support of service users accessing the service.
To establish a supportive and respectful relationship with Service Users and their Carers.
To role-model personal responsibility, self-awareness, self-belief, advocacy and hopefulness via the telling of their own recovery story to inspire and incite confidence in peers.
To share/teach coping, self-help, and self-management techniques within the peer relationship.
To support individuals in identifying their own strengths, personal interests, achievements, and meaningful recovery goals.
To assist service users in being actively involved in creating their own unique recovery action plan.
To provide support for Service Users through maintaining knowledge and links with Community resources and actively support service users to access them.
To play an active part in facilitating groups within the service where appropriate.
To support service users in seeking to connect/maintain contact with their families, friends, and significant others and in learning how to improve and develop relationships.
To always maintain a focus on the rights of the service user/carer, and to respect their personal, social, spiritual beliefs and their unique identity.

Working for our organisation

Here at NSFT we pride ourselves on being a welcoming, talented, friendly and supportive team who like nothing better than sharing experiences and learning from each other. In addition to ongoing training and development opportunities, we are committed to providing an environment in which you can thrive.

Why work for us? We have challenges as a Trust, but we have ambitious aspirations, are pushing ahead with exciting transformation work and we need dedicated individuals to support us on our journey. We have strong, established nursing networks coupled with an exceptional leadership team who will ensure you are truly cared for and cared about.


Why Norfolk and Suffolk? The people here are warm and welcoming, you’ll never be far from the beautiful coastline or Broads National Park. We’re an hour and a half away from London and have an international airport in Norwich too. Our villages, towns and cities are packed full of history, independent cafes, shops and theatres. We have excellent shopping, eating out, top ranking schooling and affordable house prices too. 

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Benefits included in this role:

  • Generous NHS pension
  • Comprehensive in house and external training programmes
  • Career progression
  • Starting annual leave of 27 days per annum, plus paid bank holidays.
  • Access to a variety of discounts for restaurants & shops via the 'Blue Light Card'
  • Lease car schemes
  • Discounted gym membership
  • Free parking

It is essential that applicants read the full job description and person specification in advance. Please note completion of the NHS Care Certificate and Peer Support Worker Training Programme are mandatory for the role. You are urged to demonstrate within your supporting statement a combination of evidence that reflects your competence to meet the person specification and provide examples of how NSFT Values are an integral part of the way you have and will continue to deliver service.

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria
  • PSW Level 3 Accreditation or commitment to completing the NSFT Peer Support Training Programme
  • Completed Care Certificate (or completion with 12 weeks of start date)
Desirable criteria
  • Level 3 Diploma in Health & Social Care or equivalent qualification/ experience

Experience

Essential criteria
  • Lived experience of personal recovery from mental health difficulties OR Carer (indirect) lived experience supporting someone through their recovery
  • Has own wellness plan including self-management techniques for personal wellbeing
Desirable criteria
  • Experience of receiving care, or being a carer of someone receiving care, from acute secondary mental health services

Skills

Essential criteria
  • Comfortable to share lived experience of their own recovery

Knowledge

Essential criteria
  • Knowledge of key principles of recovery and peer support

Employer certification / accreditation badges

Veteran AwareApprenticeships logoNo smoking policyAge positiveInvestors in People: GoldImproving working livesMindful employer.  Being positive about mental health.We offer Wagestream - A financial wellbeing benefit which lets you access your pay as you earn it.Disability confident employerStonewall equality policy. Equality and justice for lesbians, gay men, bisexual and trans people.Step into healthWomens Staff Network

Applicant requirements

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Documents to download

Apply online now

Further details / informal visits contact

Name
Lucie Bonaccorsi
Job title
Senior Peer Support Worker
Email address
[email protected]
Telephone number
0300 1234 178
Additional information

Jane Chinn - Community Team Manager

[email protected]

Apply online nowAlert me to similar vacancies