CAMHS Clinical Specialist

These roles have become available through funding for Patient & Carer Race Equality Framework (PCREF) project funding. PCREF is a Trust-wide initiative to improve equity in access, experience, and outcomes for all our communities, with an initial focus on Black communities.

The contribution of this PSW role is to work with Community Forensic Mental Health Teams (CFMHT) to support culturally congruent harm minimisation approaches to service users who use substances.

Funding is available for 4 days a week (0.8wte) fixed term, initially, from 1st October 2024 until 30 June 2025. We envisage that there will be two or more postholders, each based in one CFMHT team local to the successful applicant.

Candidates will be asked as to their preferred location at interview.

We are looking for Peer Support Workers to join us until the end of June 2025 on a fixed term contract. The role will be supported by the Peer Support Coordinator within the Directorate.

Main duties of the job

The aim of this role is to support Black patients in forensic services. The role will focus on enhancing the effectiveness of substance use interventions within forensic services by integrating cultural awareness and peer support.

It involves collaborating with service users, carers, and their families, and where possible to design and deliver services.

This support will involve peer support and advocacy ensuring that patients' voices are heard. Substance Use Support Workers will use their own lived experiences of mental health issues / services and substance use difficulties to help others, providing a space where individuals feel respected, accepted, and understood.

They will understand that everyone's experience will be unique but will treat everyone's experience as being equally important.

This role will need individuals who acknowledge the inherent challenges of racism for Black communities within traditional mental health services.

The role will also involve encouraging Black service users and carers to coproduce care plans and advocate for themselves;

gathering information to inform them of their options and providing formal feedback to staff in secure settings.

Working for our organisation

South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust (SLaM) provide the widest range of NHS mental health services in the UK as well as substance misuse services for people who are addicted to drugs and alcohol.

We work closely with the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN), King's College London and are part of King's Health Partners Academic Health Sciences Centre.

There are very few organizations in the world that have such wide-ranging capabilities working with mental illness. Our scope is unique because it is built on three major foundations : care and treatment, science and research, and training.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

To work with service users who are on the Forensic Community Mental Health Teams of the relevant SLaM boroughs, or in-reach to hospital wards, to assist them to develop culturally appropriate care / harm minimisation approach to substance use

To support Black patients in Forensic Mental Health Community services in a culturally appropriate way and support Forensic Services to embed this approach.

Contribute to feedback and evaluation following interventions and provide insights on patient's participation, including any concerns or suggestions.

To call and / or meet with service users in the community or on wards, or other convenient places, to help them prepare for meetings and to attend appointments with them to speak on their behalf where they unable or do not have the capacity, take notes, and ensure that they understand the proceedings

To facilitate access for Black patients (people) within and outside NHS organisations e.g., in terms of their presenting needs and support in relation to NHS care or local authorities, housing, employment and social care.

To work effectively as a member of Forensic teams and the wider multidisciplinary team.

Educated to GCSE or equivalent level / or evidence of competency specifically in English and Maths. Peer Worker training or willingness to complete training, Completed Recovery College courses Other evidence of relevant training,

• Personal experience of mental health difficulties and recovery


• Experience of using mental health services (for example a community mental health team / promoting recovery team, home treatment team, inpatient stay, emergency department, etc.)


• Willing to positively share your own life experiences, with service users and carers and colleagues


• Experience of working with people with mental health difficulties (paid or voluntary)


Desirable criteria

Experience of delivering peer support services An interest in developing a career in mental health care Experience of co-facilitating groups and / or training sessions Experience of working within an acute care setting

Skills

Essential criteria

• Able to demonstrate an understanding of the Values of Peer Support


• Ability to share lived experience in way that is safe and useful


• Ability to demonstrate empathy, compassion and patience Ability to demonstrate a good understanding of mental health issues


• Ability to demonstrate knowledge of personal recovery and boundaries


• Ability to demonstrate practical skills to provide support with daily living activities


• An ability to act calmly and to respond in a professional manner to distress, disturbance and unpredictability