Peer Coach

Camden and Islington NHS Foundation Trust

Peer Coaches are people who have lived experience of mental health difficulties and treatment, and are seen as experts by experience.

Their role will be twofold:

• To work as part of the MH Population Team to assist in the co-production, design, and delivery of Peer Coaching support for service users.
• To contribute towards the development of the MH Population Team service through attendance at meetings and groups to provide a Peer Coach perspective to evaluation and decision making.

The Population Health Peer Coaching role will require the applicant to provide recovery-oriented advice and liaison into local population health programmes across Primary, Secondary, and Voluntary/Community Services. This will be done by utilizing Peer Coach expertise and the preferences of clients to influence the care practices of organizations and individuals.

Their outward-facing relationships will be with Primary Care, third sector organizations, and other health and social care providers.

Main Duties of the Job

Permanent full/part-time Peer Working/Coaching opportunities.

Camden and Islington NHS Foundation Trust is seeking an experienced Peer Worker/Peer Coach to join our Community Services. The Peer Coach role plays a key role in bringing accessible and responsive services to Camden residents. The Trust is working with organizations throughout the community to bring a population health approach into action in order to challenge the inequalities that many experience when trying to get their health needs addressed.

Positions are available in Camden borough and will be working within an MDT.

We are looking for Peer Workers with:

• At least one year of experience of individual peer work/coaching.
• Communication skills that suit a coaching approach and liaison with a range of people.
• Experience of providing formal support to others who are experiencing complex mental health problems.
• An awareness of local services and supports.
• Skills and experience planning and supporting recovery-oriented activity with others.

Please note that candidates must have a lived experience of mental health problems and treatment and be prepared to share this as part of their work.

About Us

The partnership between Barnet, Enfield and Haringey Mental Health NHS Trust (BEH) and Camden and Islington NHS Foundation Trust (C&I) is going from strength to strength since it was originally established in 2021 forming the North London Mental Health Partnership.

In order to meet the needs of the new Partnership services, you may be required from time to time to work at different locations to your normal place of work. This may mean that you are required to work at any location that falls under Barnet, Enfield and Haringey Trust and Camden and Islington Trust. The Trust reserves the right to require staff to work at such other places or locations as it considers reasonable and necessary on a temporary or permanent basis.

Job Responsibilities

• To provide, create, and deliver a range of peer support activities and care planning for service users who meet the MH Population Team criteria.
• To review and manage risk as part of the support provided, seeking support from the MDT where needed.
• To provide specialist advice in relation to recovery to service users.
• To be involved in developing tools and procedures for new and existing Peer Coaches as well as updating existing materials to reflect changes to Trust procedures and policies.
• Seek to establish and maintain an effective working relationship with service users, relatives, carers, colleagues, and other disciplines.
• To communicate and liaise with a range of professionals within the Trust, including professional leads, managers, care coordinators, peer support workers, GPs, other primary care health and social care professionals, as well as Camden and Islington Commissioners, external agencies, and other appropriate stakeholders.

This post is subject to the requirements of a six-month probationary scheme for new staff only.

Person Specification

Education/Qualifications

• Good general education with Maths and English to GCSE standard or equivalent.
• Good written and spoken English.
• Completion of C&I Peer Coach training programme or equivalent training/experience.

Experience

• Personal experience of mental health or physical and mental health problems and treatment.
• Experience of providing 1:1 support to others experiencing mental and/or physical health conditions.
• Experience of developing own plans for recovery.

Knowledge

• Knowledge and understanding of and commitment to the recovery approach.
• Knowledge and understanding of and a commitment to Service User involvement and empowerment.
• Knowledge and/or experience of social care systems.

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.

Camden and Islington NHS Foundation Trust

£31,944 to £34,937 a year per annum inclusive of HCAS.