Job Description

You must have personal lived experience before you apply for this role


CNWL is looking to recruit a carer or peer support worker for the Westminster Older Adults and Health Ageing Community Mental Health Team and Home Treatment Team. This role has been developed specifically for people who have lived experience of caring for people with mental health challenges and also their own lived experience of mental health challenges. Through sharing wisdom from their own experiences, carer peer support workers will inspire hope and belief that recovery is possible in others.



The team is a dynamic service that supports people with functional mental health needs and/or a primary diagnosis of dementia to manage their mental and physical health, reside in the least restrictive setting and promote recovery. The service is co-located and works closely with the Westminster City Council mental health service to provide a holistic service to service users and carers. Additionally, we are part of the CNWL project in the implementation of Open Dialogue, an innovative person centred and recovery orientated model of crisis and continuing mental healthcare.



We believe in making a real difference to the lives of older adults by providing a service that is non-hierarchical, multi-functional and multi-disciplinary, drawing on the expertise of all team members to deliver person-centred assessment, care and support. We work continuously to instil a caring and compassionate culture. We have created a cohesive and proactive team of professionals who are empowered to work across functional divides to deliver the best care for our service users and carers. The team consists of medical staff, nursing, occupational therapists, social workers, administrators, support workers, assistant and clinical psychologists. This enables us to deliver holistic and person-centred care that avoids the need for multiple handoffs and improves patient experience.



As an integral and highly valued member of the multi-disciplinary team, the carer or peer support worker will provide formalised peer support and practical assistance to service users and carers in order for them to regain control over their lives and their own unique recovery journey. They will also work collaboratively with others to assist in improving the wellbeing of families and carers of people with mental health issues.



CNWL Values



Central and North West London NHS Trust expects the Advanced Lived Experience Practitioner to act in a way that shows an understanding of our core values. and is active in putting them into practice with service users, their friends, family, carers and also other staff members.

COMPASSION :

contribution to a caring and kind environment and recognition that what you do and say can help to improve the lives of others.

RESPECT:

acknowledge, respect and value the diversity of each individual and recognition of uniqueness.

EMPOWERMENT :

commitment to providing information, resources and support to help others make their own decisions and meet their own needs. The Trust endeavours to support all staff to enable them to develop and grow.

PARTNERSHIP :

work closely with others and behave in a way that demonstrates understanding that commissioners and users of our services are the people who generate and fund our work.

Job Purpose:

To be an active member of the multidisciplinary team and to undertake support with individuals, and their families/carers, who have acute or severe and enduring mental health problems or dementia who otherwise require intervention or input from the service. To provide support an allocated group of service users in order to promote their recovery and wellbeing in the community. To assist in the provision of evidence-based interventions under the guidance of a CNWL qualified Practitioner. To assist Service Users and their Carers with health and wellbeing needs within a multidisciplinary setting.

Overview of Main Responsibilities:

To work independently with service users and carers, but under supervision and in support of lead professionals and qualified clinical staff, in the negotiated and planned delivery of a range of interventions and activities to identified service users, carers and their families; Contributing to the best possible clinical outcomes by using up-to-date skills and adhering to evidence-based policies and procedures when implementing care plans. To work with service users in accessing meaningful activities, community engagement, enhancing their daily routines and other opportunities, and to support the service users in using these to their full advantage to enhance recovery and maintain good quality of life. To work with service users to promote their independence, maintenance and regaining skills, preventative work in order to improve current and future quality of life. To contribute to all stages of the care planning process including assessing risks and needs. To monitor the service user's progress, level of functioning & mental state, reporting progress and areas of concern to the multi-disciplinary team (verbally & electronic record keeping systems). To assume a 'coaching' role supporting service users in developing personal recovery plans; this can be delivered individually or in groups. To assist service users to identify their strengths, personal interests and goals. 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 e.g. in relation to employment, community living and leisure. To provide opportunities for service users to direct their own recovery process. To work flexibly in response to the needs of the service users of the community teams; Acting as advocates in the multi-disciplinary team. Respecting, empowering and working in partnership with service users, families and carers when contributing to the implementation and evaluation of care plans. Gaining consent and, as far as possible, involving service users, family and carers in all decision making. Working together with multi-disciplinary teams and in partnership with other teams and services to provide seamless care. * To work in a variety of locations, including service users' homes, and other non-clinical settings, e.g. cafes, sports facilities, recovery colleges, community centres, etc.