Senior Peer Support Worker

NELFT North East London Foundation Trust; City Of London; On-site; GBP 4,000 - 6,000; Full time

Job summary

A healthcare organization in North East London seeks a Senior Peer Support Worker to deliver a peer-delivered intervention called 'Let's Talk' for individuals with psychosis. The role requires lived experience of psychosis and prior work in a peer support position. Key responsibilities include managing a diverse caseload and promoting recovery-focused practices. This is a fixed-term position for one year with competitive benefits including a High Cost Area Supplement.

Qualifications

• Candidates must have personal experience of psychosis.
• Experience in a peer support role is essential.

Responsibilities

• Deliver the peer-delivered intervention 'Let's Talk' to people with psychosis experiencing internalised stigma.
• Work independently with a diverse caseload.
• Uphold peer values focusing on strengths and promoting recovery.

Skills

Lived experience of psychosis

Experience working in a relevant peer support role

Job description

Senior Peer Support Worker (BAND 4; 1.6 WTE; Fixed Term: 1 year in first instance)

Stigma and discrimination can have a serious impact on the wellbeing of people who experience psychosis and can impact personal recovery. Peer-delivered interventions that are designed to support people with psychosis who have been personally impacted by stigma show promise, but to date most trials have been small and have focused on feasibility rather than efficacy of the peer interventions.

Following the success of our NIHR funded feasibility trial, Let's Talk 1, the Let's Talk 2 Trial has now been funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) through the Efficacy and Mechanisms Evaluation (EME) programme.

The Let's Talk 2 trial is a 32-month randomised controlled trial, jointly led by Professor Tony Morrison and Dr Melissa Pyle at the Psychosis Research Unit, Let's Talk 2 builds on the success of Lets Talk 1 and our track record of collaborative research on psychosocial interventions for people with experience of psychosis by evaluating the possible benefits of a peer-delivered intervention called Let's Talk which aims to aid mental health disclosure decision making.

We will compare the Let's Talk peer-delivered intervention to standard care from Early Intervention in Psychosis Services and Community Mental Health Teams. We will conduct this research across four areas in the UK (Avon and Wiltshire, Greater Manchester, North East London and South London). NELFT's Research and Development Department is seeking to appoint 2 peer support workers (PSWs) to work on the Let's Talk 2 Trial. The Let's Talk PSWs will be primarily responsible for delivering the peer-delivered intervention Let's Talk. The Let’s Talk intervention is a semi-structured approach to supporting people with psychosis who are experiencing internalised stigma and who report concerns about talking about their psychosis experiences or concealing their experiences because of stigma. It is an approach that is underpinned by the principles of Peer Support. The PSWs will work together with service users across the footprint of the Trust. The posts will be for a fixed term of 12 months initially.

Responsibilities

• Deliver the peer-delivered intervention "Let's Talk" to people with psychosis experiencing internalised stigma.
• Work independently and autonomously, handling a diverse caseload.
• Uphold peer values of supporting and promoting recovery as a user‑led concept, emphasise hope and optimism, value learning through lived experience and focus on strengths rather than deficits.

Qualifications & Experience

• Lived experience of psychosis.
• Experience of working in a relevant peer support role.

Supervision & Logistics

Supervision is provided for all duties by Dr Lisa Wood, Consultant Clinical Psychologist & site lead for Let's Talk 2 in NELFT. As the post will involve travel within the North East London area.

Salary & Benefits

The post also attracts payment for High Cost Area Supplement of 15% of the basic salary (with a minimum of £4,714 to a maximum of £5,941 p.a. pro rata for part time).