Senior Peer Support Worker
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Please be aware that, due to current allocation constraints, Certificates of Sponsorship (CoS) are being prioritised for registered roles at this time.
Our Trust cares for more than 100,000 patients at any one time across our community health, mental health and learning disability services across Essex and parts of Bedfordshire and Suffolk.
We want you to be part of our journey of transformation, where our patients and their families are at the heart of everything we do and to achieve our vision to be the leading health and wellbeing service in the provision of mental health and community care.
You'll be part of a Trust where you will be supported to be your authentic self and be the best you can be, where we will help you to grow, develop and thrive.
The Trust is recognised by the University of Essex and is a top provider of apprenticeships for people looking to be an assistant practitioner, senior health care support worker (CAP). Our trailblazing CAP apprenticeship won a national HSJ Award.
We are also recognised as a Veteran Aware Trust and holder of gold accreditation from the Ministry of Defence Employment Recognition Scheme. Our services are highlighted as an exemplar of good practice, producing the best care for more than 3.500 armed forces veterans in the past seven years.
We have been shortlisted and won national awards. We are an inclusive organisation and Level 3 Disability Confident Leader Trust.
We are constantly innovating and looking for new ways to deliver care, such as using technology to enhance patient care and working with partners to launch new services such as the Basildon Mental Health Urgent Care Department, virtual hospitals and falls response cars.
Join us and you'll do the best work of your life - and make a difference to other people's lives. What we do together, matters.
Job overview
We are looking to recruit a Peer Support Worker to work in our At Risk Mental State teams.
We are looking to recruit an enthusiastic Peer Support Worker, who has lived experience of Psychosis or unusual experiences to join the Mid Essex At Risk Mental state team, nominally based at The Gables in Braintree, but with the expectation of working across other bases in Mid Essex.
Main duties of the job
This is an exciting time to join these dynamic services. Within this role the postholder will be using their lived experience of psychosis or unusual experiences to support people and their families to make sense and navigate their experiences with the support of a full Multi-disciplinary team. The role covers the geographical locality of Mid Essex and the post holder will be expected to travel independently within this area. The team uses a Multi-disciplinary approach to provide care, promote recovery and social inclusion to people from the age of 14-35 years are identified as at risk of experiencing, a First Episode Psychosis.
Working for our organisation
Valuing you. Recognising your dedication. At EPUT, we look after you.
- Receive supervision and support to help you fulfil your potential.
- Join an inclusive EPUT community and connect with others through engagement events and equality or champion networks.
- If you need help, we provide mental health and wellbeing services, occupational health advice and counselling.
- We run recognition awards to recognise staff's hard work and dedication.
Benefits
- 27 days holiday, plus bank holidays, rising to 33 days after 10 years' service.
- Excellent pension of up to14.5% of your pensionable pay.
- Staff discounts include Blue Light Card, NHS discount offers, and staff benefits.
- Season ticket loans are interest-free to cover the cost of travelling to and from work via tram, rail, or bus.
Work that wraps around your needs
- Work bank: You can use the opportunity to supplement your income and develop your skills by working bank shifts.
- Flexible working: available from day one for most roles.
- Job share: Applications for job shares are welcomed.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
We are seeking individuals who are caring, empathetic, who have a positive outlook and seek to support others in their recovery. You will be supporting people and their families and are expected to be able to share your experiences of psychosis/unusual experiences and your recovery with others and promote social inclusion working with wider community partners. Working as part of an MDT and contributing actively to the clinical care of people and their families, you will support with recording on the clinical record system your contacts and supporting manage the risk of those receiving a service.
Close supervision and support from the Clinical Manager for the team will be provided.
Consideration would be given to part-time/job share and flexibility with working hours may be possible.
Person specification
lived experience
Essential criteria
- Highlighted lived experience of psychosis and/or unusual experiences
Desirable criteria
- Peer Support Worker training
Experience
Essential criteria
- Use of computers to record information
Desirable criteria
- role within statutory or charitable organisations
Ability to work independently
Essential criteria
- Demonstrating an ability to use initiative and work independently
Desirable criteria
- Experience of working in a complex health environment
Please be aware that, due to current allocation constraints, Certificates of Sponsorship (CoS) are being prioritised for registered roles at this time.
Important note: please ensure that as part of your application, you include professional references with business contact information covering your last three years of employment history. We are unable to accept personal or character references.
As a newly appointed employee, you are responsible for incurring the cost of your initial DBS check relevant to your post; the amount will be deducted from your first salary with the Trust.
Our Trust is an Equal Opportunities Employer. We particularly welcome applications from people with experience of using mental health services. We also hold the Disability two tick symbol and have made the pledge to commit to employing more people with learning disabilities, we encourage people with a disability to apply. If you require this application form in another format i.e. Braille or audio tape etc, please contact the Recruitment Department on 01375 364513 or email epunft.recruitment.adverts@nhs.net and we can arrange for this to be dispatched to you.
The Trust has the right to expire vacancies prior to the closing date if they so wish. The Trust makes every attempt to contact all applicants and we strongly advise that you check the email account which is registered with NHS Jobs regularly, we would advise however due to the high number of applications we receive that if you have not heard from us within three weeks of the closing date your application has been unsuccessful on this occasion.
We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults, and expect all staff to undertake this commitment. Applicants will be subject to robust safer recruitment processes.
Important Notice: Recently the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) (Amendment) (Coronavirus) Regulations 2021 (the Regulations) which amended on 22 July 2021 and come into force on 11 November 2021 that anyone directly employed to work in a Care Home or who are required as part of their role to be deployed to a CQC registered care home are required to have had both their COVID vaccinations, unless they are exempt. This is therefore a requirement of this role and will form part of our pre-employment checks.
Please note - staff who are formally at risk within the organisation will be given priority in securing alternative employment. Should it come to light that a post being advertised by the Trust is considered 'suitable alternative employment' to an individual who is at risk, the recruiting manager will be advised and the post will be withdrawn from NHS Jobs.
Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Applications for this role should be written by the applicant. If artificial intelligence (AI) programmes are used then the application may be rejected due to this document being an important part of the assessment process. This does not prevent applicants seeking appropriate support with applications should they need to for the purposes of any declared disability.
Employer certification / accreditation badges
Applicant requirements
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.
Documents to download
- Job Description (PDF, 720.5KB)
- Person Specification (PDF, 360.6KB)
- Why Join The NHS Pension Scheme (PDF, 91.3KB)
- Candidate Privacy Policy (PDF, 336.6KB)
- Right to Work Information (PDF, 293.6KB)
- Employer Recognition Scheme - Gold Award (PDF, 27.7KB)
- Values of the NHS Pension (PDF, 151.3KB)
- Staff Benefits (PDF, 152.7KB)