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Peer Support Practitioner
Kent and Medway Mental Health NHS Trust View all jobs
Posted 14 day(s) ago
Reference: 2420300
Job summary
Are you passionate about using your lived experience to inspire hope and empower others on their recovery journey? We are seeking a compassionate, flexible Peer Support Practitioner to join our team.
To work closely alongside other team members to support service users to establish greater control over their lives, helping to identify aspects of life that give meaning, hope, value and purpose whilst recognizing that each individual's recovery is a distinctive and deeply personal process.
This role will involve working with service users supporting them to reach their individual recovery goals. There will be a variety of tasks some of which will be service user initiated, whilst others will be requested by staff for the overall service provision.
Main duties of the job
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Deliver Personalised Recovery Support: Provide one-to-one support to help service users create their personal recovery plans, complete My Shared Pathway documentation, and develop coping strategies.
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Inspire Hope Through Lived Experience: Safely and appropriately share your own recovery story to model positive coping skills, mentor individuals, and build mutual trust.
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Advocate & Support in Care Meetings: Attend ward rounds, CPA meetings, and consultations alongside service users (with their consent) to help them feel heard and build confidence in speaking up for themselves.
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Contribute to Care Delivery & Reporting: Work under the supervision of senior staff to contribute to care plans, providing clear, accurate oral reports that accurately reflect service users' views and needs.
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Champion Peer Support & Service Quality: Promote the value of recovery across the team, support the collection of annual patient experience surveys, and contribute to local evaluations of the peer support role.
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Maintain Safety, Trust, and Professional Standards: Assist in maintaining a safe, caring environment while upholding strict confidentiality in line with NHS Trust policies.
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Engage in Team Growth & Development: Participate actively in team meetings, clinical supervision, annual appraisals, and personal development goals.
About us
We are Kent and Medway Mental Health NHS Trust. We care for the mental health and wellbeing of people across Kent and Medway.
Our teams support children, young people and adults with a wide range of mental health needs. We also provide specialist services, including all-age eating disorder services and neurodevelopmental assessments for children and young people, such as autism and ADHD.
Because we work across the whole county and across hospital and community settings, we can make care more joined up and easier to access for the people we serve.
Our vision is simple: we are here to help communities not just live with mental illness, but live well. It's why we're passionate about working with communities to make mental health care better for everyone. Everything we do is guided by our values: caring, inclusive, curious and confident.
Join us if you share our passion for better mental health care and want to be part of a team that's working well together.
Details
Date posted
12 October 2026
Pay scheme
Agenda for change
Band
Band 3
Salary
£25,760 to £27,476 a year per annum pro rata (inclusive of high cost area supplement)
Contract
Permanent
Working pattern
Full-time
Reference number
380-AC0853
Job locations
Littlebrook Hospital
Littlebrook Hospital, Bow Arrow Lane
Dartford
DA2 6EN
United Kingdom
Job description
Job responsibilities
Lived experience of mental health problems, addiction or contact with the criminal justice system and willing to positively share own life experiences. Lived experience of mental health services.
Ideally have personal experience in telling your story or willingness to train. Knowledge of personal recovery and developed plans for managing own recovery.
Please refer to the attached job description for the full details on the responsibilities and person specification
What is High Cost Area Allowance?
The High-Cost Area (HCA) allowance, also referred to as London Weighting is a payment made to employees who work in London and the surrounding areas.
As this post is based in Dartford, Gravesham or Swanley, the successful applicant will receive an additional payment each month.
5% of basic salary, subject to a minimum payment of £1,346 per year and a maximum payment of £2,270 per year (the agreed annual amount will be divided into 12 equal amounts and paid monthly) (2026/27 figures)
Job description
Job responsibilities
Lived experience of mental health problems, addiction or contact with the criminal justice system and willing to positively share own life experiences. Lived experience of mental health services.
Ideally have personal experience in telling your story or willingness to train. Knowledge of personal recovery and developed plans for managing own recovery.
Please refer to the attached job description for the full details on the responsibilities and person specification
What is High Cost Area Allowance?
The High-Cost Area (HCA) allowance, also referred to as London Weighting is a payment made to employees who work in London and the surrounding areas.
As this post is based in Dartford, Gravesham or Swanley, the successful applicant will receive an additional payment each month.
5% of basic salary, subject to a minimum payment of £1,346 per year and a maximum payment of £2,270 per year (the agreed annual amount will be divided into 12 equal amounts and paid monthly) (2026/27 figures)
Person Specification
Lived experiece of mental health
Essential
- Must demonstrate lived experience of mental illness
Desirable
- Experience of inpatient setting
Training, Qualifications and Registration
Essential
- BTec/City &Guilds/NVQ level 2 in health and social care OR equivalent experience
Desirable
- Experience of working with service users experiencing mental illness
Experience
Essential
- Lived experience of mental health problems, addiction or contact with the criminal justice system and willing to positively share own life experiences.
- Lived experience of mental health services. Ideally have personal experience in "telling your story" or willingness to train.
Desirable
- Experience of working or volunteering with people with mental health problems.
- Experience of using own history in a boundaried approach to support others in similar situations.
Knowledge and Skills
Essential
- Good written and verbal communication skills.
- Ability to share personal story of recovery in a professional manner whilst working within appropriate guidelines. Willingness to promote the concept of recovery in all work carried out. Knowledge of recovery focused ways of working and ability to demonstrate these in practice
Desirable
- Good IT skills, including Word , Outlook and the ability to use the RiO electronic records system, or be willing to undergo training
Person Specification
Lived experiece of mental health
Essential
- Must demonstrate lived experience of mental illness
Desirable
- Experience of inpatient setting
Training, Qualifications and Registration
Essential
- BTec/City &Guilds/NVQ level 2 in health and social care OR equivalent experience
Desirable
- Experience of working with service users experiencing mental illness
Experience
Essential
- Lived experience of mental health problems, addiction or contact with the criminal justice system and willing to positively share own life experiences.
- Lived experience of mental health services. Ideally have personal experience in "telling your story" or willingness to train.
Desirable
- Experience of working or volunteering with people with mental health problems.
- Experience of using own history in a boundaried approach to support others in similar situations.
Knowledge and Skills
Essential
- Good written and verbal communication skills.
- Ability to share personal story of recovery in a professional manner whilst working within appropriate guidelines. Willingness to promote the concept of recovery in all work carried out. Knowledge of recovery focused ways of working and ability to demonstrate these in practice
Desirable
- Good IT skills, including Word , Outlook and the ability to use the RiO electronic records system, or be willing to undergo training
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.
Employer details
Employer name
Kent and Medway Mental Health NHS Trust
Address
Littlebrook Hospital
Littlebrook Hospital, Bow Arrow Lane
Dartford
DA2 6EN
United Kingdom
Employer's website
https://www.kentmedwaymentalhealth.nhs.uk (Opens in a new tab)
Employer details
Employer name
Kent and Medway Mental Health NHS Trust
Address
Littlebrook Hospital
Littlebrook Hospital, Bow Arrow Lane
Dartford
DA2 6EN
United Kingdom
Employer's website
https://www.kentmedwaymentalhealth.nhs.uk (Opens in a new tab)