Peer Facilitator

Our Vision is to provide the best mental health, learning disability, autism, community, and physical health services for the populations we serve.

As an integrated Trust, Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust (LSCFT) delivers a comprehensive range of services, including:

• Primary and secondary mental health care for children and adults, including specialist inpatient child and adolescent mental health provision, perinatal mental health, and forensic services with low and medium secure care.
• Specialist mental health inpatient care for individuals with learning disabilities, alongside specialist community support for children and adults with learning disabilities and autism, including intensive support.
• Extensive community physical health and well-being services for children and adults, covering prevention, treatment, rehabilitation, and long-term condition management.

The Trust was first established in 2002 and employs approximately 7,500 staff who provide care from more than 400 sites. The organisation offers opportunities for medics, mental health, general nurses, children’s nurses, allied health professionals, psychology, administration and clerical staff, apprentices and volunteers, as well as those specialising in learning disabilities and community physical health services.

Peer support is based on the recognition that there is no better person to support the path towards recovery than someone who has walked a similar path as that individual.

The Peer Facilitator will provide formalised peer support and practical assistance to service users assisting them to regain a sense of control over their lives and their own unique recovery process. The Peer Facilitator will work alongside a service user through their recovery journey and assist them when taking initial steps in several areas dependent on the stage of their personal recovery goals.

We are excited to be able to advertise for a Peer Facilitator to join the team on The Orchard, Lancaster.

The Orchard is a stand-alone unit based in Lancaster. It is a 16 bedded male acute unit that specialises in the assessment and treatment of mental health conditions. This enables people to return to their communities and allows them to regain their independence.

We are looking for a caring, empathetic, enthusiastic individual who has a passion to improve the lives of our patients. This role will be to provide care and support to patients who require mental health interventions, guidance or monitoring.

As a peer facilitator you will provide formalised peer support and practical assistance to service users assisting them to regain a sense of control over their lives and their own unique recovery process. The Peer Facilitator will work alongside a service user through their recovery journey and assist them when taking initial steps in several areas dependent on the stage of their personal recovery goals.

You will be regularly supported and supervised by a senior peer facilitator as well as the ward staff team.

LSCFT values diversity and inclusion, recognising that talent from varied backgrounds creates a flexible, creative, and effective workforce. We actively challenge discrimination and welcome applications from all, regardless of age, disability (including those with experience of accessing or caring for someone who has accessed mental health or learning disability services), ethnicity, gender, religion, belief, or sexual orientation.

Our aim is to reflect the communities we serve, so we particularly encourage applications from under-represented groups. If you’d like to discuss your application, please ask.

We also welcome individuals with lived experience relevant to the role or service area, as your insight brings authenticity to our services.

LSCFT support flexible working, we believe that a positive work/life balance benefits NHS employees through improved health and wellbeing. We would consider working patterns such as term time, part time, compressed hours and flexi-time.

The wellbeing of our people is at the heart of everything we do. We offer a wide range of resources, tools and support to help you thrive both in and out of work.

For more information about this vacancy please review the attached job description and person specification.

• English language literacy and numeracy skills to the standard necessary to provide clear, understandable records
• Willingness to develop self through engaging in training and or other special interest training.
• Completion of own personal recovery plan such as the Health and Wellbeing Recovery Action Plan (WRAP) and or advanced statement

• Able to relate to a wide range of people, with excellent interpersonal skills.
• Professional in behaviour and appearance
• Able to manage conflict and to help others do so.

• Personal lived experience of mental health problems
• Experience of recovering a…