About this role
Job summary
hisnew role will take a lead on introducing Peer Support roles to our inpatient wards. As the Peer Support Resource Supervisor you will promote the value of mental health lived experience, contributing to the development of support provided by our wards, including finding innovative ways to gather patient feedback and understand patient experience.
Alongside Peer Support Workers you may also co-deliver individual and group-based recovery-focused interventions, or independently manage a defined caseload within inpatient settings, delivering structured peer support interventions.
You must have significant previous experience as a Peer Support Worker, preferably in a paid role, in a healthcare or community setting, and have completed recognised peer support training.
We want someone who is committed to empowering others, challenging stigma and embedding lived experience perspectives, to be a visible role model for mental health recovery, utilising your lived experience purposefully to inspire hope and resilience.
Providing day-to-day operational coordination of the peer support resources across inpatient services, will include delivering tailored supervision, mentorship, and support to peer staff and volunteers, being the first point of contact for operational and workforce issues.
You may also bring your lived experience perspective to care planning, discharge planning, and risk identification, working within your scope of practice.
Main duties of the job
Embed the Values and Principles of Peer Support: Act as a senior advocate and guardian of peer support values, ensuring they are protected and embedded within all CWP services.
Coordinate and allocate Peer Support Workers across inpatient wards to ensure safe staffing support, appropriate skill mix and responsive service delivery.
Provide induction, supervision, appraisal and performance discussions to Peer Support Workers and volunteers.
As a role model for professional peer support practice support development, wellbeing, reflective practice and ongoing training of peers.
Establish and embed peer support as a core component of inpatient MDT functioning.
Manage and prioritise a defined caseload of individuals experiencing acute distress and complex mental health needs while developing therapeutic peer relationships.
Deliver structured 1:1 and group-based peer support interventions, monitor, review, and document outcome
Build strong professional relationships in order to Engage and Advocate: with carers and families, with multiple agencies and the MDT.
Contribute to the development, evaluation, and continuous improvement of peer support, using data, feedback, and co-production to inform best practice and service delivery.
Organise and prioritise workload independently within agreed objectives, while demonstrating sound judgement.
About us
Cheshire and Wirral Partnership (CWP) provides health and care services for a population of over one million people, including mental health, learning disability, community physical health and all-age disability care, as well as the provision of three GP surgeries in Cheshire.
We employ around 4,500 staff across 73 sites and have services across Wirral and Cheshire, as well as Trafford, Warrington, Bolton, Halton, Liverpool and Stockport.
Our aim is to help improve the lives of everyone in our communities, adopting a compassionate, person-centred approach to everything we do. We are rated as Outstanding for Caring by the Care Quality Commission, with a Good rating overall.
As a Disability Confident Employer, Rainbow Badge Scheme member, Veteran Aware organisation and proud holder of the Armed Forces Covenant Employer Recognition Scheme Gold Award, CWP is committed to making our recruitment practices as inclusive as possible and developing a culture that values differences, and welcome applications from people who have direct experience of accessing our services.
All new starters will commence in post on one fixed start date each month, in line with our Prepare to Care (P2C) induction programme date. P2C offers up to 3 weeks training to support you to meet the induction / initial training requirements of the role.
Whether you are just starting out in your career or looking to use your existing skills and experience in a new role, you'll find something to suit you at CWP.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please download a copy of the job description (see documents to download section below) for full details of the main responsibilities for this role.
At CWP, our recruitment selection processes are based on both competence (see person specification for details) and values.
CWP recruits people that can demonstrate the Trusts Values in their everyday life and we use a values-based approach in our interviews, which explores not only what you do but how and why you do it.
Before applying, we encourage you to review the Trusts Values and think about how these align with your own personal values. The supporting information section in your application should reflect your understanding of the Trusts Values and associated behaviours and you should provide examples from your work experience and/or personal life which demonstrate these values through your behaviours.
An applicant guide to help and support you through your recruitment journey can be accessed at the bottom of this page. Further help and support for completing your application can be accessed via our website. If you need any further guidance to help you complete your application, contact our recruitment team via email at: [email protected] or by calling 01244 393100.
If you have a disability that meets the definition set out in the Equality Act 2010, and you can show that you meet the essential criteria described in the person specification for an available position, please answer YES to the question: Do you wish to be considered under the Guaranteed Interview Scheme?
Please inform the team if you have any special support needs to be considered as part of the interview and selection processes.
The trust offers a Guaranteed Interview Scheme to any armed forces community applicants who meet the essential criteria for the post and encourages applications from armed forces reservists or cadet force adult volunteers.
Please note applicants will be required to pay for their DBS check. Costs are deducted from salary following appointment. You are encouraged to enrol for the DBS Update Service. A small annual fee of £15 per year applies.
New entrants to the NHS will commence on the minimum of the scale stated above.
Applicants are advised to apply early as if a large number of applications are received for this post we reserve the right to close the vacancy prior to the advertised date.
Good luck with your application. We hope to welcome you to Team CWP very soon!
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Level 5 qualification, or equivalent level of knowledge acquired through significant experience and further specialist training
- Completion of recognised Peer Support Worker training.
Desirable
- Foundation degree or equivalent in a relevant field
- Training/teaching qualification or experience
- Willingness to undertake further learning/training in line with the development of peer support.
Knowledge and Expertise
Essential
- Advanced knowledge of peer support practice, recovery approaches, trauma informed care and mental health inpatient pathways.
- To be confident to protect the authenticity of the values and principles of peer support.
- Knowledge of where risk and safeguarding influence care pathways and recovery.
- Understanding of MDT working and care planning processes.
- Skilled in use of interpersonal and communication skills, in particular as they relate to peer support values and principles, e.g non directive, reciprocity, strengths based, etc.
- Ability to use IT systems for documentation and communication.
- Able to work in an enabling and creative way to provide effective support to PSWs, volunteers, the people being supported/their carers and ward teams
Desirable
- Experience of use of recovery tools, such as Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP)
- Experience of connecting with a range of organisations who may support people using MH services and their families.
- Knowledge of workforce development, supervision and service improvement methodologies.
Experience
Essential
- Personal mental health lived experience of an inpatient service.
- Willing to positively share personal lived experience of mental health challenges and recovery to inspire hope and resilience in others.
- Significant experience as a Peer Support Worker including working within appropriate professional boundaries.
- Experience supporting individuals within mental health services to manage personal recovery, including those reaching out for support, getting back on track, relationships and communication skills.
Desirable
- Experience working within inpatient settings
- Experience supervising or mentoring others
- Involvement in service development or training
Trust Values
Essential
- Demonstrate alignment with Trust Values (6 C's: Commitment, Communication, Care, Courage, Compassion, Competency)
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 details
Employer name
Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
Address
Bowmere Hospital
Liverpool Road
Chester
CH2 1BQ
United Kingdom
Employer's website
https://www.cwp.nhs.uk/about-us/working-for-us/ (Opens in a new tab)