Peer Support Worker

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Key Responsibilities

1. Central and North West London NHS Trust is committed to providing safe, effective services and providing those who use the services; and those who support them, with a positive experience.

Clinical Responsibilities

1. To work with the multi-disciplinary team in the support of both informal service users and those detained under the mental health act within acute inpatient settings
2. To assume a ‘coaching’ role supporting service users in developing personal recovery plans; this can be delivered individually or in groups.
3. To assist service users to identify their strengths, personal interests and goals.
4. To provide opportunities for service users to direct their own recovery process.

1. To facilitate or assist in the admission, transfer and discharge of service users.
2. To model/mentor a recovery process and demonstrate coping skills, using own experience of recovery.
3. To act as a role model to service users to inspire hope, share life experiences and lessons learned as a person in recovery.
4. To support service users to negotiate an ‘Advanced Directive’ with all people involved in their care and others who provide support.
5. To contribute to the assessment, planning, implementation and review of care with the multi-disciplinary team.
6. To work together with the service user and where possible their carers in the drawing up of care plans encouraging and motivating service users to take an active role in their own care plan.
7. To assist individuals in managing their mental health on a day to day basis including providing support with activities of daily living such as care of self, budgeting, personal care, caring for their home and leisure activities.
8. To positively promote and support independent living for service users in the community by maintaining extensive knowledge and links with community resources and actively supporting service users to access them e.g. in relation to employment, community living and leisure.
9. To take part, with the service user, in ward activities and social groups, some of this activity will be supporting the Activity Coordinator or Occupational Therapist.
10. To assist in the development and implementation of educational and peer facilitated support groups and activities which complement the inpatient programme. 
11. To accompany service users to appointments, therapeutic or social community based activities as appropriate.
12. To support service users in seeking to connect/ reconnect with family, friends, significant others and in learning how to improve or eliminate unhealthy relationships.
13. To assist service users to maintain a connection with their life outside of hospital.  
14. To accept and respect service users personal beliefs, uniqueness and identity. 

Communication

1. To meet, welcome, introduce and orientate the service user, their carer and families to the ward/ service.
2. To support the service user to prepare for meetings regarding their care e.g. assessments, CPA meetings etc.
3. To help service users to access information on health promotion, mental and physical wellbeing.
4. To monitor the service user’s progress, level of functioning & mental state, reporting progress and areas of concern to the multi-disciplinary team (verbally & electronic record keeping systems).
5. To assist the service user to understand their rights and choices within the service.
6. Report any untoward incidents or unusual occurrences to the manager/senior clinician immediately.

Service Development and Delivery

1. To maintain up to date knowledge of legislation, national and local policies and issues in relation to both the specific service user group, peer support and mental health.
2. To comply with all relevant Trust policies, procedures and guidelines, including those relating to Equal Opportunities, Health and Safety and Confidentiality of Information and to be aware of any changes in these.
3. To be aware of, teach others and challenge issues in relation to stigma, low expectations and anti-discriminatory practice as appropriate.
4. To read and understand the statutory requirements of the Mental Health Act 1983.
5. To attend clinical, business & service development meetings as required.
6. To raise the profile of peer support both within CNWL, and externally, through co-delivery of presentations, workshops, and participation in Trust –wide peer related projects and audits: and information sharing as required and as agreed with the line manager.

Learning and Development

1. To participate in Trust mandatory training & development opportunities considered appropriate to the PSW’s role and as identified in the Personal Development Plan (PDP)
2. To undertake the accredited ‘Developing Expertise in Peer Support’ Level 4 module at London South Bank University.
3. To contribute and commit to undertaking an annual Development review/ Appraisal
4. To engage in Peer Support supervision as stated in our Trustwide policies.
5. To receive regular line management supervision as arranged by the ward/ service manager.
6. To make full use of supervision, peer support with other peer workers and other support as necessary in order to remain well and safe in the peer support role, and in order to work with the challenges of using lived experience to support people with potentially difficult and distressing issues.

Documentation

1. 1. To ensure timely and accurate recording of clinical related data and information on the electronic patient record system.