Peer Support Practitioner

Job summary

We have an exciting opportunity for a part time Peer Support Practitioner to join our team at The Trevor Gibbens Unit located in Maidstone.

Our vision is to improve patient experience, promote physical well being, as well as supporting our patients through recovery and discharge. We strive to provide a calm, safe and friendly atmosphere and maintain a clean and pleasant environment on the ward for staff, patients and visitors.

The wards consist of a multi-disciplinary team of health care assistants, nurses, occupational therapists, psychologists, speech & language therapists, social workers, junior doctors and consultants. Patients will also be offered therapeutic activities by the occupational therapy team and be reviewed by the consultant during the weekly ward review.

*Please note, Visa Sponsorship is not available for this post*

Main duties of the job

Trevor Gibbens Unit is looking to employ an individual with lived experience to add value to our growing team.

We are interested in applicants with personal experience of the criminal justice system and/or experience of health/social vulnerabilities (for example: mental health issues, learning difficulties, drug/alcohol misuse, accommodation or financial challenges).

Suitable applicants must be in a positive position of wellbeing/recovery and motivated to take on a rewarding new opportunity.

Successful candidates will be able to use their life experience to support the engagement of others who may find themselves in familiar life circumstances.

Peer support Practitioners compliment the Trust's expertise with their own insight, experience and potential to support others. You will therefore need to be able to share your recovery journey to motivate and encourage others to reach their full potential.

About us

We are Kent and Medway Mental Health NHS Trust. We care for the mental health and wellbeing of people across Kent and Medway.

Our teams support children, young people and adults with a wide range of mental health needs. We also provide specialist services, including all-age eating disorder services and neurodevelopmental assessments for children and young people, such as autism and ADHD.

Because we work across the whole county and across hospital and community settings, we can make care more joined up and easier to access for the people we serve.

Our vision is simple: we are here to help communities not just live with mental illness, but live well. It's why we're passionate about working with communities to make mental health care better for everyone. Everything we do is guided by our values: caring, inclusive, curious and confident.

Join us if you share our passion for better mental health care and want to be part of a team that's working well together.

Job responsibilities

Working in Forensic Mental Health services is very rewarding but very demanding too. Service users are people with severe and complex mental health conditions (e.g. Schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorder and may be associated with Personality Disorder, Substance Misuse and PTSD) who are detained under the Mental Health Act (MHA), usually under sections related to treatment and public safety (e.g. Section 37/41). They may have a criminal history or be involved in the criminal justice system.

You would be working as part of a team of mental health experts, dedicated to making sure Service users have access to specialist care.

We offer ongoing professional development to help you adapt and progress your career, including bespoke training and a comprehensive induction program.

Please refer to the attached job description for full details and the main responsibilities of the role.

Person specification

Training

Desirable

• BTec/City &Guilds/NVQ level 2 in health and social care OR equivalent experience

Experience

Essential

• Lived experience of a vulnerability that TGU currently identify, including but not limited to: mental health issues, learning difficulties, social care needs, drug/alcohol misuse, homelessness, financial or employment problems.
• Personal experience of using services that support wellbeing/recovery from the above vulnerabilities.

Desirable

• Personal experience of contact with the criminal justice system i.e. police or courts.
• Experience of working or volunteering with people with similar vulnerabilities.

Knowledge and Skills

Essential

• Good written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to share personal story of recovery in a professional manner whilst working within appropriate guidelines.

Desirable

• Good IT skills including Word, Outlook and the ability to use the RiO electronic records system, or be willing to undergo training.