*You must have personal lived experience as a health care assistant 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.
NHS Health Care Assistant Main duties
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.
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 personal development in previous employment
Desirable
- Accredited certificate in Life Coaching
- Accredited peer support worker training
- Qualified Open Dialogue practitioner or willingness to undertake training
Previous experience
Essential
- Own personal lived experience of caring for someone with mental health difficulties.
- Willing to positively share own life experiences, and personal experience of caring for someone with mental health challenges with service users and carers.
- Experience of actively supporting individuals to identify and work towards achieving personal goals in a related social care or health setting (paid or unpaid)
- Experience in a health or social care setting.
- Experience of liaising with other agencies
Desirable
- Paid or unpaid experience of working with older adults
- Own personal experience of accessing mental health services or supporting family member through the process.
Skills, knowledge and abilities
Essential
- Ability to demonstrate experiential knowledge of recovery
- Ability to demonstrate knowledge of the concept of personal recovery as it may apply to others
- Evidence of good interpersonal skills and an ability to form peer / carer relationships with service users and carers
- Ability to communicate on all levels and to a broad scope of individuals, both internally and externally to the Trust
- Ability to appreciate / understand other people’s worlds
- Knowledge of how to build community links and networks
Desirable
- Knowledge of current legislation which underpins Health and Social Care and a working knowledge of the Equalities Act 2010 and Human Rights Act.
- Experience working with diverse communities
- Knowledge of benefits/ employment systems
- Ability to demonstrate a good understanding of mental health issues
- Ability to demonstrate good understanding of carers’ experiences and support needs
- Basic working knowledge of IT
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.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
Closing Date: 09 July 2025
