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Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust

About
Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (EPUT) was formed on 1 April 2017 following the merger of North Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (NEP) and South Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (SEPT).
Since then, EPUT has grown from strength to strength, providing many community health, mental health and learning disability services to support more than 3.2 million people living across Luton and Bedfordshire, Essex and Suffolk.
We are a large employer in the East of England with more than 5,500 staff working across more than 200 sites. We also provide services in people’s home and community settings.
Our Vision
“To be the leading health and wellbeing service in the provision of mental health and community care”.
Our Purpose
“We care for people every day. What we do together, matters”.
Our Values
- We Care
- We Learn
- We Empower
Our strategic objectives
- We will deliver safe, high quality integrated care services.
- We will enable each other to be the best that we can.
- We will work together with our partners to make our services better.
- We will help our communities to thrive.
Find out more about the services we offer in our service directory
Contact
- Address
- Trust Head Office
- The Lodge
- The Chase
- Wickford
- Essex
- SS11 7XX
- Contact Number
- 01375 364513
Peer Support Worker - Suffolk IPS Employment Service
Closed for applications on: 25-Jun-2025 00:01
Vacancy status: Closed
Closed for applications on: 25-Jun-2025 00:01
Key details
Location
- Site
- Ipswich, Suffolk Central, Suffolk Coastal
- Town
- Suffolk
- Postcode
- IP1 2GA
- Major / Minor Region
- Essex
Contract type & working pattern
- Contract
- Fixed term: 9 months (31st March 2026 - possibility for extension)
- Hours
- Part time - 18.75 hours per week (Flexibility offered within a Monday - Thursday working week)
Salary
- Salary
- £24,625 - £25,674 per annum pro rata
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Grade
- (Band 3)
Specialty
- Main area
- Peer Support Worker
Our Trust cares for more than 100,000 patients at any one time across our community health, mental health and learning disability services across Essex and parts of Bedfordshire and Suffolk.
We want you to be part of our journey of transformation, where our patients and their families are at the heart of everything we do and to achieve our vision to be the leading health and wellbeing service in the provision of mental health and community care.
You’ll be part of a Trust where you will be supported to be your authentic self and be the best you can be, where we will help you to grow, develop and thrive.
The Trust is recognised by the University of Essex and is a top provider of apprenticeships for people looking to be an assistant practitioner, senior health care support worker (CAP). Our trailblazing CAP apprenticeship won a national HSJ Award.
We are also recognised as a Veteran Aware Trust and holder of gold accreditation from the Ministry of Defence Employment Recognition Scheme. Our services are highlighted as an exemplar of good practice, producing the best care for more than 3.500 armed forces veterans in the past seven years.
We have been shortlisted and won national awards. We are an inclusive organisation and Level 3 Disability Confident Leader Trust.
We are constantly innovating and looking for new ways to deliver care, such as using technology to enhance patient care and working with partners to launch new services such as the Basildon Mental Health Urgent Care Department, virtual hospitals and falls response cars.
Join us and you’ll do the best work of your life – and make a difference to other people’s lives. What we do together, matters.
Job overview
Job Purpose / Summary:
Working within the Suffolk IPS Employment Service in support of local community mental health teams and primary care practitioners, you will be expected to ‘champion the employment agenda’, instilling the belief that people with mental health needs want to work and with the right support can work.
The role of the Peer Support Worker is focused around supporting an individual to become work ready. The Peer Support Worker will assist service users in raising aspirations and developing personal goals, with the aim to be supported into employment, by an IPS Employment Specialists.
The role will include 1:1 and group work and Peer Support Workers will support service users in developing pre-vocational skills. Pre-vocational interventions will be delivered by the Peer Support Worker and these will support service users to increase their confidence and work ability, develop a daily routine and engage in other opportunities that will enable them to become ‘work ready’
You will display excellent diary management in a combination of working in the community and clinical site
Advert
To establish a supportive and respectful relationship with service users, to raise aspirations to access employment opportunities.
To work primarily in direct work with service users on a 1:1 and in group settings as agreed with team service manager and team leader.
To help individuals to consider employment opportunities and identify their own achievable and meaningful recovery goals to compliment the work undertaken by the Employment Specialist.
To actively, practically and creatively support an individual to progress towards becoming ‘work ready’ through co-facilitating pre-vocational interventions on a 1:1 and group basis.
To support the implementation of groups; i.e. job clubs and employability workshops, to enable service users to write CV’s and create email addresses. In addition, to support service users in developing other areas of pre-vocational skills.
Draw upon own lived experience to inspire hope, model self-awareness and facilitate service users in developing their own resourcefulness for managing their health and wellbeing.
Facilitate and support access to community groups and networks that enable participation in activities, to maximise service user's opportunities for socially valued roles and positive identity
Working for our organisation
EPUT are looking for motivated staff who shares our Trust values of Care, Learn and Empower. In return, EPUT can offer you a range of benefits and development including;
- Season Ticket Loans
- NHS discounts for staff
- Excellent Training facilities and opportunities
- Buying and Selling annual leave scheme
- The opportunity to work bank shifts and expand knowledge and experience in other areas
- Salary Sacrifice schemes including lease cars and Cycle to Work
- Day One Flexible Employer
The Trust supports and actively encourages flexible working for all employees. We offer many options and you are encouraged to ask the recruiting manager what is possible for this role. If appointed, you will have the opportunity to apply for a flexible working request from the first day of your employment
Join our Staff bank
What is Staff Bank?
Our EPUT NHS staff bank is an entity managed by the trust that hires clinical and non-clinical healthcare professionals to take on shifts at our trust hospitals and community settings. Here at EPUT we maintain our own bank of specialist staff to ensure that we are able offer safe and effective care at all times.
All our permanent staff are automatically enrolled onto the staff bank however this does not mean you have to work any additional shifts, but the option is there for you if you wish.
If you are joining our Trust in a fixed term role, please indicate on your New Starter Paperwork that you wish to join our staff bank.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Key Responsibilities:
Please note that this role outline serves to provide you with an illustrative example of the duties and responsibilities you may be expected to undertake during the course of your normal duties. It is not an exhaustive list and you will therefore be required to undertake other responsibilities and duties that are considered to be commensurate with the band.
Core Functions
To establish a supportive and respectful relationship with service users, to raise aspirations to access employment opportunities.
To work primarily in direct work with service users on a 1:1 and in group settings as agreed with team service manager and team leader.
To help individuals to consider employment opportunities and identify their own achievable and meaningful recovery goals to compliment the work undertaken by the Employment Specialist.
To actively, practically and creatively support an individual to progress towards becoming ‘work ready’ through co-facilitating pre-vocational interventions on a 1:1 and group basis.
To support the implementation of groups; i.e. job clubs and employability workshops, to enable service users to write CV’s and create email addresses. In addition, to support service users in developing other areas of pre-vocational skills.
Draw upon own lived experience to inspire hope, model self-awareness and facilitate service users in developing their own resourcefulness for managing their health and wellbeing.
Facilitate and support access to community groups and networks that enable participation in activities, to maximise service user's opportunities for socially valued roles and positive identity.
Ensure that service user’s peer recovery goals are integrated into the Trusts care plan/CMHT process and are reviewed on a regular basis, through liaising closely with employment specialists and care co-ordinators as necessary.
To actively engage with colleagues and other professionals to ensure the needs of the client group are met through promoting recovery orientated, strengths based practice.
To attend and participate in multi-disciplinary team meetings.
To participate within Trust peer training and peer working networks. To be willing to develop self through specialist training opportunities, relevant to IPS, as agreed with team supervisor and team manager.
To have an awareness of Individual Placement and Support (IPS) model and how this is implemented within the service.
To actively take responsibility for own health and wellbeing through working upon own wellness plan/advanced statement and discussing/reviewing within supervision as necessary.
To contribute towards an individual’s Vocational Action Plan via effective communication with Employment Specialist involved in their support.
To continue to develop own understanding of government policy in the area of mental health and social inclusion, and to contribute to Trust policies and service development in line with this.
Any other duties as delegated by your Director or Chief Executive commensurate with the responsibilities of this post.
The above Job Description does not purport to be an exhaustive list of duties and responsibilities. The post holder will be expected to undertake additional duties as the requirements of the post changes. |
OUR TRUST VALUES You are responsible for ensuring that the below Trust values are adhered to daily in your work and whilst providing services to patients and their families: Open, Honest, Compassionate, Empowering. You are responsible for ensuring that the values outlined in the NHS Constitution are adhered to daily and any matters of concern are raised with the relevant Line Manager or through the necessary processes within the Trust. You are responsible for delivering a compassionate, dignified and respectful service to patients at all times. DUTY OF CANDOUR You must adhere to the principles of openness, transparency and the statutory duty of candour in your day to day work and conduct and encourage the same behaviours within the wider organisation. |
Important note: please ensure that as part of your application, you include professional references with business contact information covering your last three years of employment history. We are unable to accept personal or character references.
As a newly appointed employee, you are responsible for incurring the cost of your initial DBS check relevant to your post; the amount will be deducted from your first salary with the Trust.
Our Trust is an Equal Opportunities Employer. We particularly welcome applications from people with experience of using mental health services. We also hold the Disability two tick symbol and have made the pledge to commit to employing more people with learning disabilities, we encourage people with a disability to apply. If you require this application form in another format i.e. Braille or audio tape etc, please contact the Recruitment Department on 01375 364513 or email [email protected] and we can arrange for this to be dispatched to you.
The Trust has the right to expire vacancies prior to the closing date if they so wish. The Trust makes every attempt to contact all applicants and we strongly advise that you check the email account which is registered with NHS Jobs regularly, we would advise however due to the high number of applications we receive that if you have not heard from us within three weeks of the closing date your application has been unsuccessful on this occasion.
We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults, and expect all staff to undertake this commitment. Applicants will be subject to robust safer recruitment processes.
Important Notice: Recently the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) (Amendment) (Coronavirus) Regulations 2021 (the Regulations) which amended on 22 July 2021 and come into force on 11 November 2021 that anyone directly employed to work in a Care Home or who are required as part of their role to be deployed to a CQC registered care home are required to have had both their COVID vaccinations, unless they are exempt. This is therefore a requirement of this role and will form part of our pre-employment checks.
Please note - staff who are formally at risk within the organisation will be given priority in securing alternative employment. Should it come to light that a post being advertised by the Trust is considered ‘suitable alternative employment’ to an individual who is at risk, the recruiting manager will be advised and the post will be withdrawn from NHS Jobs.
Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Applications for this role should be written by the applicant. If artificial intelligence (AI) programmes are used then the application may be rejected due to this document being an important part of the assessment process. This does not prevent applicants seeking appropriate support with applications should they need to for the purposes of any declared disability.
Applicant requirements
Person specification
Skills : Experience
Essential criteria
- • Experience of working within health, social care or the voluntary sector with people who have experienced mental health problems
- • Experience of developing local relationships with support services and understanding signposting
- • Experience of working to a high standard of administration procedures • Literate in IT/Computer Skills, including Outlook, Excel
- • Good oral communication skills based on fluency on the English language
Desirable criteria
- • Previous Experience of delivering Peer Support • Delivering Mental Health First Aid Training • Use of patient record systems to record client activity
Skills : Personal Qualities
Essential criteria
- • Ability to assess and identify support needs • Able to construct and review person-centered action plans • Ability to be flexible, open and creative when problem solving, facilitating solutions to challenging situations
- • Commitment to working collectively and collaboratively with colleagues. • Excellent interpersonal communication skills leading to effective representation and promotion of the service
- • Ability to work independently, reliably and consistently whiles delivering support in line with Trust values, open, compassionate and empowering
Education / Qualifications
Essential criteria
- • Good standard of education; NVQ 3 or equivalent
Desirable criteria
- • Educated to degree level; Health and Social care related qualification • Qualification in; Information, Advice & Guidance or Employability Service Sector • Trained IPS approach
Knowledge
Essential criteria
- • Understanding of the needs and challenges faced by people experiencing mental health difficulties when looking for employment
- • Good understanding of the need for goal setting when delivering mental health support
- • Good knowledge of local and/or Government employment initiatives.
- • Knowledge of relevant Welfare Benefits, i.e. disability, employment and in-work benefits
Desirable criteria
- • Good knowledge of the link between mental health and employment
- • An understanding of the principles and practice of supported employment (IPS Model) • Knowledge of the Equality Act 2010
Additional Requirements
Essential criteria
- • Ability to travel across sites and across Trust boundaries to attend meetings, etc. • Ability to work across community locations to the needs of service users.
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Angelo Sansiviero
- Job title
- Suffolk IPS Team Lead
- Email address
- [email protected]
No longer accepting applications
Sorry, this vacancy is no longer accepting applications.
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