Peer Support Worker

NHS; Nottingham; On-site; GBP 24,000 - 27,000; Full time

Job summary

A major healthcare provider is looking for a Peer Support Worker in Nottingham. The role involves supporting individuals with mental health needs while they wait for treatment in the community. Candidates should have lived experience of mental distress and excellent communication skills. You'll establish supportive relationships, share recovery experiences, and assist individuals in achieving their personal recovery goals. This position offers a salary range of £24,937 to £26,598 per annum, pro rata for part time, and is a vital role in enhancing mental health community services.

Benefits

Employee health and wellbeing programs

Employee-led networks for diversity and inclusion

Occupational health services

Qualifications

• Lived experience of mental distress and recovery.
• Experience in a supportive and enabling role.
• Experience working in a healthcare setting.

Responsibilities

• Support individuals waiting for treatment within the community.
• Establish supportive relationships based on peer support principles.
• Use active listening skills to help people identify recovery goals.

Skills

Empathy

Excellent communication skills

Ability to reflect on experiences

Initiative

Organizational skills

Education

NVQ Level 3/AS Level or equivalent

Certificate in Community Mental Health or equivalent

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Go back Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust

Peer Support Worker

The closing date is 28 December 2025

We are looking for a Peer Support Worker to work within the MHTR service to help enhance the work of the MHTR Team in liaising and supporting people whilst waiting well in the community in preparation for commencement of their Mental Health Treatment Requirement in the community with the MHTR service. The support offered will be in the community in supporting service users to engage with services such as health, mental health, 3rd sector services etc. It will include holding a caseload of waiting well service users who you will also support to attend appointments with the MHTR service, all work will be carried out under the supervision of the MHTR Clinical Lead and Specialist Mental Health Practitioners.

The peer support worker will act as a recovery champion within the team and an ambassador of recovery for the Trust with external agencies and partner organisations. Peer workers will also be expected to invest in their own personal and professional development as well as supporting ongoing development of peer roles in the Trust.

Main duties of the job

The main focus of the role is to support those waiting for the commencement of their MHTR in the community. The post holder will have a base in the community (Westminster House) however there may be some element of the role requiring attendance at probation establishments. The post holder will work with people who experience a range of vulnerabilities such as offending, homelessness, substance misuse, physical health needs etc.

To establish supportive relationships with people using mental health services and their loved ones, based on the core principles of peer support (mutual, reciprocal, strengths focused, safe, progressive, non-directive, recovery focussed and inclusive).

To share personal experiences of recovery and coping to build connection and inform support.

To use active listening skills to help people develop self-understanding and identify their personal recovery goals.

To support others in achieving goals that they have identified for themselves.

To role model recovery, personal responsibility and self-awareness.

To raise awareness of recovery language among Trust staff by modelling positive, strengths based, non-discriminatory, non-jargon, non-medicalised language in all areas of work.

To embrace every opportunity to work with people in a recovery focused way, supporting the community team by undertaking duties that would be a reasonable expectation of the role.

To maintain strengths focused clinical records.

About us

#TeamNottsHC comprises over 11,000 dedicated colleagues who #MakeADifference every day. We deliver intellectual disability, mental health, community health, forensic, and offender healthcare services across Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, and South Yorkshire. Our care is provided from over 200 sites, spanning community locations, acute settings, and secure environments, including prisons.

We are one of the largest mental health and community Trusts in the East Midlands and one of Nottinghamshire's biggest employers. We also host national and regional services, such as the National High Secure Deaf Service and the Nottingham Centre for Transgender Health.

We offer a variety of employee-led staff networks, including Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) groups, the Green Champions network, the Freedom to Speak Up network, the Health and Wellbeing Champions network, and the Menopause Champions network. These networks play a vital role in supporting our diverse workforce and promoting a culture of inclusivity.

The health and wellbeing of our colleagues is a top priority. We invest significantly in this through our in-house occupational health and staff counselling services, supported by a dedicated Health and Wellbeing team.

The Trust is committed to reducing its carbon emissions, with a specialised Energy and Environmental team working to ensure compliance with environmental legislation, enhance our environmental performance, and achieve our net‑zero commitment.

Job responsibilities

As a core member of the MHTR team, the peer support worker will work alongside people who are living in the community. The peer support worker will use active listening skills and the core principles of peer support to build supportive connections with both staff members and people are being supported by services as well as their carers and loved ones. It is expected that the peer support worker will undertake every interaction with a recovery focused, positive approach.

The peer support worker will be required to report to the team leader and access the peer group supervision provided within the Trust, as well as attending peer support development days and contributing to developments across the trust.

Please note that this post does not meet the pay level required for a Skilled worker visa.

Successful applicants with no prior NHS experience would normally be placed at the bottom of the band in line with Agenda for Change. This salary is below the minimum salary required for sponsorship for a Skilled Worker / Health & Care visa. In these circumstances the Trust would not, therefore, be able to sponsor for a Skilled Worker / Health & Care visa.

Applicants requiring a Skilled Worker Visa can determine the likelihood of obtaining a Certificate of Sponsorship against the relevant criteria here https://www.gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa

Please note applicants will be required to pay for their DBS check. Costs are deducted from salary following appointment. The cost of the DBS application is £26.40 (standard) or £54.40 (enhanced), this cost will be deducted from your salary over the first 2 months of employment.

You are encouraged to enrol for the DBS Update Service. An annual fee of £16 per year applies.

Person Specification

Values and behaviours

• All colleagues are expected to demonstrate that they act in line with Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust Values: Trust Honesty Respect Compassion Teamwork
• All colleagues are expected to demonstrate an understanding of and commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) and how it applies to their role. The Trust's expectations are highlighted within our EDI Policy, and associated EDI and Human Rights legislation.

Physical requirements

• Has the ability to perform the full range of duties.
• Manual handling which may include manoeuvring of wheelchairs/trolleys/beds etc as needed.
• Break away and de‑escalation techniques

Training

• Completion of Peer Support Worker Training.
• Level of educational attainment to NVQ 3/AS Level or equivalent
• Mental Health related qualification ie. Certificate in Community Mental Health or equivalent
• Willingness to undertake further training in line with the development of peer support

Experience

• Lived experience of mental distress and recovery
• Experience of being in a supportive and enabling role
• Experience of being supported by a community mental health team
• Experience of working in a healthcare setting
• Experience of working in a team
• Experience of training, teaching, coaching/mentoring others
• Experience of using a range of self‑management or recovery tools and techniques
• Experience of working across different organisational boundaries

Skills

• Ability to use personal experiences to support others and demonstrate empathy
• Ability to reflect on experiences and working practice personally and in group settings
• Excellent written, verbal and non‑verbal communication skills
• Willingness to use the Trust IT systems
• Able to build inclusive relationships with a wide range of people
• Able to create a safe environment and use techniques to reduce anxiety and understand conflict
• Ability to work in an enabling and creative way, where the person is the expert in their own recovery
• Willingness to support people in ways which they choose to meet their recovery goals
• Personal understanding of how to manage stress and when to access support
• Ability to use initiative
• Able to work in a flexible way
• Resourceful and creative
• Good organisational skills including time management
• Supportive to other colleagues
• Able to demonstrate a patient, non‑judgmental, respectful and compassionate attitude
• Computer literate in Microsoft office

Contractual requirements

• Able to travel to various locations to meet service needs.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

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 (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Employer name

Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust

£24,937 to £26,598 a yearper annum (pro rata for part time)