Employing people in Recovery in the NHS

Alan Butler Peer Support worker

Annette Dale-PereraStrategic Director Addictions and Offender Care

Our Approach

• Preparing the ground: preparing the staff • Underpinned by CNWL Recovery College• CNWL Volunteer placement schemes• Big Lottery employment support scheme • Employing experts by experience– managing criminal records– Creating more supportive HR contracts– Creating a peer support network – Leadership from (and hotline to) senior managers– Support systems when `Warriors are down’

Prepare the staffFormal review of CNWL Addiction services 2009

Strategy to make services more `recovery-orientated’• more `experts by experience’ volunteers & paid staff• Led by management• Tackle staff prejudice• Give buildings for peer-led

activities and mutual aid

evenings, weekends, etc• Support & respect volunteers

and workers

CNWL Recovery CollegeKings Fund national initiative (initially mental health)

Co-produced (user/staff) and co-delivered courses

Service users and staff learn together

University accredited courses eg Peer Support Workers

Focus on empowerment & respect

If the NHS can do this – anyone can……Key issues when employing `experts by experience’

as volunteers and paid staff• Managing criminal records• Keeping healthy: 5 ways to wellbeing for staff• Creating more supportive HR contracts• Good training and supervision• Creating a peer support network • Leadership from (and hotline to) senior managers• Support systems when `Warriors are down’

Being a peer support worker in the NHS

Alan Butler

Being a peer support worker in the NHS

Alan Butler