Job summary
The role of the Eating Disorders Peer Support Worker - Inpatient Ward and Day Programme (Eating Disorders PSW) has been developed specifically for people who have lived experience of recovery from a/an eating disorder(s) such as anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder and avoidant restrictive food intake disorder. In the context of CNWL's Eating Disorders Service postholders will have experienced recovery from disordered eating challenged and accessed support through an eating disorders service in relation to this. For this specific post, it is also required that the post holder has lived experience of accessing treatment on an inpatient eating disorders unit. Through sharing wisdom from their own experiences, Eating Disorders PSWs inspire hope and belief that recovery is possible in others. Using recovery principles and socially inclusive practice, the post-holder will support service users in their personal recovery journeys through the Eating Disorders Service. This means providing peer support for adults and young people who are currently receiving inpatient or day patient support for their eating disorder.

Main duties of the job
Foster a relationship of mutuality and information sharing, to promote choice, self-determination, opportunities and hope;

• Raise awareness about local resources and opportunities that may assist people in maintaining their recovery;
• Encourage and support service users to use community resources that are available to them and support the Eating Disorders Service with developing links with these resources;
• Act as an advocate for recovery within the team and an ambassador for recovery for the Trust and with partner agencies; and
• Work as part of a multidisciplinary team in a specialist service setting.

Through sharing the wisdom of their own lived experience, the Eating Disorders PSW will inspire hope and belief that recovery is possible in others, taking a lead role in embedding recovery values within the service settings in which they work, alongside other Trust recovery champions.

About us
Please note: This vacancy does not meet the criteria for Skilled Worker sponsorship, unless you meet the criteria by temporary exemption from current changes to immigration rules put in force on 22/07/2025. "Separate provisions are applied to workers who have been sponsored and held continuously Skilled Worker visa since prior to 04/04/2024."

As such, if you don't meet the Transitional Provision (above) we are unable to consider your application unless you can provide documentary evidence of your right to work in the United Kingdom. If you believe you are eligible for sponsorship or already hold a valid right to work in the UK, please ensure you provide full details of your immigration status in the Pre-Screening Immigration section of your application form.

Please note role eligibility also depends on whether the role meets the salary threshold for the relevant occupational code (SOC CODE).

For further info please visit: Apply through our website

Details
Date posted: 24 September 2026
Pay scheme: Agenda for change
Band: Band 4
Salary: £34,186 to £37,389 a year
per annum incl HCAS pro rata
Contract: Fixed term
Duration: 12 months
Working pattern: Part-time
Reference number: 333-G-ED-0497
Job locations: Vincent Square Eating Disorder Service, 1 Nightingale Place, London, SW10 9NG, United Kingdom

Job responsibilities
Respect integrity, confidentiality, clinical governance and data protection requirements in line with Trust policy

• Have responsibility for relevant safeguarding issues in relation to service users and their network, including making difficult decisions as a team adhering to the Trusts Safeguarding policy.
• Engage in self-reflective practices and commit to continued personal development
• Establish supportive and respectful relationships with people using eating disorders services
• Model/mentor a recovery process, inspire hope, and demonstrate self management skills and techniques by skilfully using own experience of recovery
• Provide meal support and encouragement from a lived experience perspective for mealtimes and snacks; this will include positive role modelling by also participating in the meal or snack
• Assume a coaching role supporting users in developing personal recovery plans; this can be delivered individually or in groups.
• Support service users in making sense of their experiences of eating disorders and recovery. This might include understandings of personal and social recovery, health and wellbeing, personal and social identity whilst recognising that each individuals recovery is a distinctive and deeply personal process

Be committed to professional development through independent learning, keeping up to date with latest research and building connections with local and national peer networks.

• Promote development of best practices in peer support and Lived Experience Practice across the service through active participation in internal and external training and development programmes
• Supervision requirements Following the probation period, the Eating Disorders PSW will have monthly 1-1 supervision with clinical line manager and monthly 1-1 supervision with peer supervisor. Prior to this, and in any other periods where additional support is needed, the frequency of supervisions can be reasonably adjusted
• Eating Disorder PSWs will also have group supervision every 2-months with PSWs from other CNWL services as well as fortnightly staff group with the community team
• To work with the multi-disciplinary team in the support of both informal service users within day programme and inpatient settings and those detained under the mental health act within acute inpatient settings

Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential

• Commitment to obtain underpinning knowledge through work based learning and mandatory training
• Willingness to undertake Level 4 City University accredited course "Developing Expertise in Peer Support" course
• Acceptable level of written literacy and numeracy
• Basic IT skills i.e. word & email

Desirable

• Accredited peer support worker training

Experience
Essential

• Own personal lived experience of recovering from an eating disorder
• Own lived experience of accessing inpatient service to support eating disorder recovery
• Willing to positively share own life experiences, and personal experience of living with and making a successful recovery from an eating disorder
• Experience of actively supporting individuals to identify and work towards achieving personal goals in a related social care or health setting (paid or unpaid)
• Ability to demonstrate and represent recovery focussed approaches to mental health care
• Own personal lived experience of recovering from an eating disorder
• Own lived experience of accessing inpatient service to support eating disorder recovery
• Paid or unpaid working experience in health and social care

Desirable

• Paid or unpaid peer support worker experience
• Paid or unpaid experience of working with individuals with an eating disorder

Skills
Essential

• Ability to demonstrate first person 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 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
• Knowledge of how to build community links and networks
• Understanding of issues arising from experiencing mental ill health
• Ability to work unsupervised in a range of settings
• Effective team player

Desirable

• Knowledge of basic first aid
• Basic Health and Safety awareness
• Awareness of local services
• Knowledge of benefits/ employment systems
• Ability to demonstrate a good understanding of mental health issues
• Ability to speak other languages
• Knowledge of basic food hygiene

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: Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust
Address: Vincent Square Eating Disorder Service, 1 Nightingale Place, London, SW10 9NG, United Kingdom
Employer's website: Apply through our website

Employer contact details
For questions about the job, contact: Advanced Lived Experience Practitioner, Barbara Iwatt, barbara.iwatt@nhs.net

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.