JD Hospital Peer Support Worker
Job Code:
January 2016
Job Description for Hospital Peer Support Worker – Royal Lancashire Infirmary
Job Title: Hospital Peer Support Worker (Royal Lancashire Infirmary)
Salary: £8.88 per hour
Number of posts: 1 part time post
Type of contract: Fixed term until 31st March 2017
Hours of work: 1 x post of 8 hours Tuesday 4 hours, Saturday 4 hours
Work location: Royal Lancaster Infirmary
Responsible to: Co-ordinator
Background and Purpose of the Post:
BfN has been commissioned by Lancashire County Council to provide breastfeeding support, to mothers who have initiated breastfeeding with the aim of increasing breastfeeding prevalence rates at 6-8 weeks after birth.
Hospital Peer Support Workers will offer 7 day week breastfeeding support on Royal Lancaster Infirmary & Blackpool Teaching Hospital postnatal wards and at the Fylde Birth Centre and neonatal units.
Mothers living in the top 20% most deprived areas (quintile 1) or being under twenty years of age should be prioritised to receive further home visits, locally determined, particularly within first two weeks after birth.
The main aims of the project are to:
To provide breastfeeding support, to mothers who have initiated breastfeeding with the aim of increasing breastfeeding prevalence rates at 6-8 weeks after birth.
The services will contribute to improving health outcomes by offering early breastfeeding support and also contribute to reducing health inequalities by targeting enhanced offers of breastfeeding support to those mothers with highest need.
The service will also contribute to smoking cessation rates in families it works with by providing early intervention advice and referral to the Lancashire Tobacco and Nicotine Addiction Treatment Service.
The project will enable those women who choose to breastfeed, access to appropriate support projects regardless of age, ethnic origin, beliefs, sexual orientation, social status and employment status.
Main duties and responsibilities:
· Gather consents so women can receive community support. Referral data to be sent via secure email or phone to Community Peer Support Worker
· Provide bedside support for all North Lancashire mothers on the post natal ward who have initiated breastfeeding or wish to.
· Provide support to mothers on NNU who wish to initiate breastfeeding.
· Identify those mothers living in the top 20% most deprived areas (quintile 1) and mother under 20 years old so that they can receive more intensive support
· listen to mums’ concerns and answer questions about breastfeeding
· offer help with positioning and attachment
· provide key information about breastfeeding
· provide information to the mums about the Peer Support programme
· encourage mums to go to their local breastfeeding groups and give out the groups leaflet
· Gather information from mothers on their smoking status and ensure this is passed on to Community Peer Support Workers.
· ensure the postnatal resource store is maintained with up-to-date resources of breastfeeding leaflets, books and Star Buddy forms
· ensure all data sheets and attendance records are maintained accurately for quarterly reporting purposes
· refer mums with complex or medical breastfeeding problems to the Hospital and/or Community Peer Support Co-ordinator, Midwives or other Health Professionals on the ward
· attend Hospital meetings pertaining to the Hospital Peers Support role as and when required
· provide information to mothers about the LCC Breastfeeding Challenge App.
· provide breastfeeding support to mothers on the paediatric ward as necessary
· attends team meetings a appropriate
· provide support to voluntary Hospital Peer Support on the ward by way of mentoring
· Build on the existing close relationships with the Hospital working with management and frontline staff to continually improve the integration of Peer Support Workers, systems and pathways so that our work complements maternity staff and creates seamless care for women.
· work within the Baby Friendly Initiative remit
· Parents to be signposted to local services, Health Visitor or primary care services, children centres or the National Breastfeeding helpline at discharge at six weeks.
This is not an exhaustive job description and may be subject to change according to the needs and development of the role. It is expected that the post holder may undertake such other duties as may be reasonably be requested.
Hospital Peer Support Worker Person Specification
Please refer to this document carefully when completing your application form and preparing for your interview. You must demonstrate how you meet the criteria on your application form.
Requirements / Essential / Desirable /Qualifications
Continuous Breastfeeding Helper Registration with The Breastfeeding Network (BfN) since qualification and have had at least minimum supervision required from your named supervisor
Breastfeeding Supporter Registration with the BfN or be currently in training to become a Breastfeeding Supporter, or be prepared to sign up to the next Breastfeeding Supporter training course
Experience of working as a volunteer with BfN offering breastfeeding support to mothers
Show evidence of continued professional development since qualification / √
√ / √
√
Experience and Knowledge
Experience of supporting mothers face to face with breastfeeding
Experience of working in a health or community setting in paid or volunteer capacity
Experience of home visiting to support mothers
Experience of working with diverse ethnic and social groups
Knowledge of importance and application of the BfN Code of Conduct / √
√
√ / √
√
Skills and abilities
Ability to speak and write fluently in English
Ability to provide information and support to mothers in a non-judgemental fashion.
Ability to provide an effective ‘hands off’ approach when helping mothers with positioning and attachment
Ability to organise and manage work independently
Ability to work effectively as part of a team
Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
Ability to work with people from different cultures sensitively
Ability to keep the confidentiality of the mothers and their families
IT skills including Word, Excel, email and internet
Ability to maintain records and write reports
Awareness and commitment to equal opportunities
Ability to run small group antenatal sessions
Ability to run breastfeeding groups / √
√
√
√
√
√
√
√
√
√
√
√
√
JD Hospital Peer Support Worker_RLI_ N LANCS_V1.0_FINAL
1