Skip to main content
Please wait, loading

Job summary

Main area
Mental Health
Grade
NHS AfC: Band 4
Contract
Permanent
Hours
Part time - 22.5 hours per week
Job ref
354-AE-20991
Employer
Sussex Partnership NHS FoundationTrust
Employer type
NHS
Site
Millwood
Town
Uckfield
Salary
£25,147 - £27,596 pro rata
Salary period
Yearly
Closing
08/07/2024 23:59

Employer heading

Sussex Partnership NHS FoundationTrust logo

Peer Support Specialist

NHS AfC: Band 4

Welcome from our Chief Executive

Our organisation is expanding and we're looking for people with the right values, skills and/or potential to join us. We need people with energy, expertise, enthusiasm to help us provide the very best possible specialist NHS mental health and learning disability care. This involves helping us achieve our strategy to improve the quality of life for the communities we serve through People, Prevention and Partnerships.

So what can we offer you in return?

We're an organisation which puts people first. We'll do everything possible to help you feel respected, valued and included. We'll help you learn, acquire new skills and gain further experience to support your career development. And we'll provide the opportunity for you to bring your fresh ideas to work about how we can do things differently and continue improving.

You will also be joining a health and care system committed to working together to do the best we can for the communities we serve. Above all, at Sussex Partnership you'll have the chance to make a difference to the lives of the patients, carers and families across our communities.

As a Trust we are committed in making a difference. Your development is important to us, so don't forget to ask us during interview what opportunities we can offer. We can offer fully funded lifelong learning opportunities such as an apprenticeship from GCSE to Masters level.

If you like the sound of that, then come and join our team.

Job overview

Peer Support Specialist - B4, permanent, part-time post

Do you have expertise from your own experience of mental health problems and a proven track record of using this expertise to support others' recovery? 

Is so, we have a permanent, part-time Peer Support Specialist position that will interest you. In fact it could be a career game changer!

The post is in a specialist community mental health service for adults with severe mental health problems in Uckfield, a rural town in the beautiful countryside of the High Weald close to Ashdown Forest. 

 

Main duties of the job

Our growing workforce of Peer Specialists work alongside service users to build their confidence and strengthen their community support networks so that they are empowered to live well despite their mental health challenges.

The successful candidate must be able to travel, preferably being able to drive using their own transport.

Working for our organisation

In return for your skills and enthusiasm, we can offer you interesting and rewarding work in a team which prides itself in providing a high standard of care and support as well as providing excellent learning opportunities and regular supervision and support for its staff. There is a strong professional network for peer workers across the Trust with a bespoke peer training package, buddy and mentorship schemes offered alongside the regular clinical supervision they all receive within their teams.

This post is 22.5hrs (3 days) per week. We are a 9-5 Monday to Friday service. 

 

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

·        Peer Support workers engage with mental health service users to show empathy, share experience, inspire hope and promote recovery with the aim of assisting individuals to gain and maintain independence in the community

·         Peer Support workers are part of the Adult Mental Health Services multi-disciplinary Care Team.  The role is to focus on the day to day holistic support needs of service users.  Self-managed care is essential to this: the supported person is encouraged to assess their own needs and to develop and implement a self-management plan

·         Peer support is delivered through promoting empowerment and choice and giving the opportunity for the exploration of meaning and purpose

Work is guided by a qualified professional (ie. nurse, occupational Therapist) and supervision is regularly provided to support the work

·         Supervising one other Peer Support Worker if experienced

·         Undertaking highly skilled and specialised support work

Working without direct supervision (depending on level of experience)

Person specification

QUALIFICATIONS

Essential criteria
  • Health care or relevant NVQ Level 3 or equivalent skills acquired through experience or formal teaching qualification
  • A recognised Peer Support qualification
  • Evidence of a commitment to lifelong learning

KNOWLEDGE/EXPERIENCE

Essential criteria
  • Significant experience of working with people with mental health needs in a paid or voluntary capacity in health/social care/teaching setting
  • Experience of working with people with mental health difficulties
  • Experience of working with groups/activities
  • Experience of supervising others
  • Lived experience of mental health issues/difficulties
  • Managing personal mental health and recovery
  • Comprehensive knowledge of Peer Support, Recovery and Wellbeing in mental health and ability to apply this throughout your work
  • Experience of working as part of a team

Employer certification / accreditation badges

Apprenticeships logoNo smoking policyDisability confident leaderDefence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) - BronzeCare quality commission - GoodArmed Forces Covenant Gold AwardStep into health

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
Simon Hellyer
Job title
Service Manager
Email address
[email protected]
Additional information

We welcome informal visits and/or a phone conversation about the service and this post. Please contact Simon Hellyer by email if you are interested in this post 

Apply online nowAlert me to similar vacancies