£30,000 to get recruits for mental health team
APROJECT to recruit people who have experienced mental health problems to help others has won a £30,000 cash injection.
The sum is being invested into new peer support roles so volunteers who have had mental health conditions can share their experiences with patients.
The money was awarded to Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (CWP) by Health Education England North West, as part of a bid to test out new working practices.
The scheme was introduced and piloted in Macclesfield. So far, seven people have been trained and recruited into peer support volunteer roles to work alongside people who access mental health services.
Due to the success of the work done so far, the money will be used to recruit and train more peer support volunteers.
It will pay for accredited training for more than 30 extra peer support roles by the end of the year.
Simon Hough, CWP’s first peer support volunteer who works on wards in Macclesfield and is cochairman of the Trust steering group, said: “I have lived with schizophrenia for most of my life so have first-hand experience that I can draw on to give hope and support to others.
“Being a peer support volunteer is massively rewarding and is also beneficial to my wellbeing. It has given me my confidence back and helps me to help others get the support they need.”
The trust says that national evidence and local experience has demonstrated that support from a peer, someone who has personal experience of similar health conditions, can have a positive impact on patient experience and wellbeing.
The support is available for people who access mental health services and is in addition to clinical support from health professionals.
Avril Devaney, CWP director of nursing and therapies, said: “This funding will help us to make this invaluable support more widely available.
“What’s important for CWP is that people with lived experience are integral to shaping, guiding and developing this work so that it is truly co-produced and person-centred.”
Ken Edwards, from CWP clinical education, said: “With an emphasis on building confidence and communication skills, the peer support role has potential to become a pathway into employment for people who are looking for this.
“After completing the training and building their confidence and skills two peer support volunteers have already gone on to secure full time employment.”
Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Foundation Trust provides mental health, learning disability and substance misuse services across Cheshire and Wirral, as well as physical community services, in partnership with local authorities, service users, carers and the voluntary and independent sectors.