Peer Support Worker

NHS; Essex; On-site; GBP 22,000 - 28,000; Full time

Job summary

A regional healthcare provider in Essex seeks a Peer Support Worker to provide essential peer support to mental health service users. The role requires personal lived experience of managing mental health issues. Benefits include flexible working, NHS discounts, and training opportunities. Candidates must have the right to work in the UK.

Benefits

Season Ticket Loans

NHS discounts for staff

Excellent Training facilities

Buying and Selling annual leave scheme

Opportunity to work bank shifts

Salary Sacrifice schemes

Day One Flexible Employer

Qualifications

• Experience of working alongside mental health professionals.

Responsibilities

• Provide formal and professional peer support to service users.
• Help service users navigate their recovery journey.
• Support service users to identify their strengths and goals.

Skills

Personal lived experience of managing complex mental health issues

Experience working with volunteers and community organizations

Job description

Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust

Peer Support Worker

The closing date is 16 October 2025. Please note you must have the right to work in the UK to apply for this position. Due to current Home Office Guidelines, we are unable to sponsor this job role.

As an integral and highly valued member of the Specialist Care Team, the PSW will provide formal and professional peer support and practical assistance to service users in order for them to regain control over their lives and their unique recovery journey in a progressive way during their time on the ward.

Working in line with the national peer support competency framework, and the key principles of peer support as outlined by ImROC, The PSW will effectively use their own lived experience of recovery to support a person in their own recovery journey, helping the people they are supporting to navigate the inpatient pathway. By building positive relationships with service users and patients based on mutuality, reciprocity, and inclusivity, they will support people to identify their recovery goals and strengths working towards discharge.

Main duties of the job

Where the term 'service users' is used, this includes individual service users, people with lived experience, their family members and carers.

• To improve the lives of people with mental ill health by minimising the impact of their condition through the delivery of excellent services to promote recovery and wellbeing.
• To be compassionate in meeting the needs of patients and their carers.
• To work closely with multidisciplinary team within the service regarding the mental health needs of the people they are supporting.

About us

EPUT are looking for motivated staff who share 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.

Job responsibilities

COMMUNICATION AND WORKING RELATIONSHIPS:

To acknowledge and work to the key principles for providing peer support.

To be aware of the emotional context, staying calm and being clear, consistent and reliable.

To work with multi-disciplinary teams to support service users access additional services and teams within the inpatient setting to better meet their needs where possible.

CARING RESPONSIBILITIES:

To support service users to direct their own recovery process through encouraging them to work collaboratively with teams, and where possible, carers, to identify their own goals and needs and to co-produce care plans to support these.

To assist service users to identify their strengths, personal interests and goals, and support them to access and participate in activities which meet these.

RISK MANAGEMENT:

To manage and work effectively in line with Trust risk policies and procedures, whilst supporting an individual's recovery.

STRATEGIC AND OPERATIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES:

To embed recovery values and the ethos of peer support into Mental Health Services and champion the role of Peer support worker within the service, the trust and in the community and share best practice.

Person Specification

Education/ Qualifications

Knowledge

• Experience of working alongside mental health professionals.

Skills/ Experience

• Personal lived experience of managing or living with complex mental health issues.
• Experience of working with volunteers, 3rd sector organisations and/or community and social enterprise organisations.

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 to check for any previous criminal convictions.