Peer Support Worker

Job summary

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As an integral and highly valued member of the Adult Autism Diagnostic Service, the Peer Support Worker (PSW) will provide formalised peer support and assistance to service users in particular pre- and post-diagnostic support. The successful applicant will work within a multidisciplinary team in an Adult Autism Diagnostic Service to deliver pre- and post-diagnostic support to autistic adults (age 18+) across the London boroughs of Brent, Harrow and Hillingdon.

The successful applicant may have contact with patients or service users. As an NHS Trust we strongly encourage and support vaccination as this remains the best way to protect yourself, your family, your colleagues and of course patients and service users when working on our healthcare settings.

Main duties of the job

The peer support worker role uses lived experience to improve outcomes for other autistic adults through direct support (through group and individual interventions) and indirectly via providing lived experience support to staff across the trust. There is a growing consensus that people's health is greatly influenced by a range of social, economic and environmental factors. This role will take these social determinants of health into account in providing support to service users.

The PSW will promote their role, through the provision of information and a range of learning opportunities for the multidisciplinary team and others across the trust.

As a core member of the Autism Team, the PSW will carry out some generic duties. The PSW will work alongside service users on a 1:1 basis and there may be some opportunities for group work as the post gets established. The PSW will also have the opportunity to co-work with other colleagues.

About us

About Us

CNWL (Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust) has almost 7,000 staff providing integrated healthcare to a third of London's population, Milton Keynes and areas beyond. We involve service users, carers, the public, staff and partner organisations in the way that we are run.

Our catchment area spans diverse communities, with over 100 first languages spoken. It contains areas of great affluence as well as areas of much deprivation. We are committed to providing services that meet the needs of the people who use them, and we actively encourage involvement from local people who can help make a difference. We're proud of our diversity and we continue to undertake new initiatives to advance equality for LGBT+, BME and people with disabilities to promote good relations and understanding between our staff. We are recognised locally, nationally and internationally for providing high quality, innovative healthcare. We aim to employ only the best people, and our experts are frequently called upon to contribute to national health strategy and policy, and many models of our care have been adapted for use in other countries.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Job Description

Key Responsibilities

Central and North West London NHS Trust is committed to providing safe, effective services and providing those who use the services; and those who support them, with a positive experience.

Clinical Responsibilities

1. To work autonomously alongside other professionals within the Autism Team in the support of service users, with a particular focus on providing support in the waiting period before diagnosis and signposting them to other support services after the diagnostic assessment. This will entail working in sensitive and complex situations, with individuals who may be neurodiverse or autistic.

2. To assume a coaching role supporting service users, delivered with a neuroaffirmative approach either individually or in groups.

3. To act as a role model to service users to inspire hope, and share life experiences and lessons learned from own lived experience of autism.

4. To contribute to the assessment, planning, implementation and review of care with the Autism Team.

5. To positively promote and support independent living for service users in the community by maintaining extensive knowledge and links with community resources and actively supporting service users to access them in relation to employment, specialised support, community living and leisure. This will assist service users to identify their strengths, personal interests and goals.

6. To participate in group activities and community groups alongside service users and sometimes team members.

Communication

7. To meet, welcome, introduce and orientate the service user, their carer and families to the service.

8. To support the service user to prepare for meetings regarding their care assessments, reviews etc.

9. To help service users to access information on health promotion, mental and physical well-being and substance use.

10. To accept and respect service users personal beliefs, uniqueness and identity as well as assist the service user to understand their rights and choices within the service.

11. To report any untoward incidents or unusual occurrences to the manager/senior clinician immediately.

Service Development and Delivery

12. To maintain up to date knowledge of legislation, national and local policies and issues in relation to both autism and peer support.

13. To comply with all relevant Trust policies, procedures and guidelines, including those relating to Equal Opportunities, Health and Safety and Confidentiality of Information and to be aware of any changes in these.

14. To be aware of, teach others and challenge issues in relation to stigma, low expectations and anti-discriminatory practice as appropriate.

15. To attend clinical, business & service development meetings as required.

16. To raise the profile of peer support both within CNWL, and externally, through co-delivery of presentations, workshops, and participation in Trust-wide peer-related projects and audits: and information sharing as required and as agreed with the line manager.

Health and Safety

17. To maintain the service environment in line with Trust Infection Control and Health and Safety procedures.

Learning and Development

18. To participate in Trust mandatory training & development opportunities considered appropriate to the PSWs role and as identified in the Personal Development Plan (PDP)

19. To undertake professional development in peer support

20. To contribute and commit to undertaking an annual Development Review/ Appraisal

21. To engage in Peer Support supervision in line with Trustwide policies.

22. To receive regular line management supervision as arranged by the ward/ service manager.

23. To make full use of supervision, peer support with other peer workers and other support as necessary in order to remain well and safe in the peer support role, and in order to work with the challenges of using lived experience to support people with potentially difficult and distressing issues.

Documentation

24. To ensure timely and accurate recording of clinical related data and information on the electronic patient record system.

25. To maintain accurate supervision records of peer support workers as defined in Trust Guidelines, including the maintenance of a supervision record log.

Person Specification

EDUCATION AND QUALIFICATIONS

Essential

Commitment to obtain underpinning knowledge through work-based learning and mandatory training, (including accredited peer support worker training if not previously undertaken) Evidence of continuing professional and personal development

Desirable

Accredited peer support worker training Evidence of personal development in relation to autism awareness and peer support

PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE Paid/unpaid relevant to job

Essential

Own personal lived experience of autism Willing to positively share own life experiences of living with autism with service users and carers Experience of working in a range of health and/or social care settings as a peer support worker (paid or unpaid) or in a related role

Desirable

Diagnosis of autism Experience of delivering support sessions with individuals or group

SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE, ABILITIES

Essential

Knowledge of Autism and related neurodevelopmental conditions Able to demonstrate understanding of Peer Support as well as a non-judgemental understanding of issues arising from being autistic Evidence of good listening and interpersonal skills, with an ability to form peer relationships with service users and carers Ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences, both internally and externally to the Trust Ability to provide support to other teams and deliver training as appropriate Ability to demonstrate empathy and patience, showing an awareness of the impact of stigma and discrimination Knowledge of how to build community links and networks Ability to problem solve and create innovative solutions to help empower service users Ability to work unsupervised in a range of settings with good organisational skills Sensitive understanding of diversity issues and an ability to promote anti-discriminatory practice/ equal opportunities

Desirable

Basic Health and Safety awareness Awareness of local autism support services Working knowledge of the principles of coproduction Interviewing skills Knowledge of policies and legislation that may contribute to support for service users

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