Peer Support Workers: A Critical Analysis of a UK Innovation in Mental Health

Peer support in mental health services -- the reciprocal sharing of the experience of mental health distress -- is an innovative new way of working which, through an emerging evidence base, is becoming gradually embedded into health and social care services in the UK. The article focuses on the gene...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inSocialno Delo Vol. 51; no. 1-3; pp. 103 - 114
Main Authors Shears, Jane, Ramon, Shula
Format Journal Article
LanguageSlovenian
Published 01.01.2012
Subjects
Health Care Services
Intervention
Mental Health
Mental Health Services
Psychological Distress
Social Services
Social Support
Training
United Kingdom
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Summary:Peer support in mental health services -- the reciprocal sharing of the experience of mental health distress -- is an innovative new way of working which, through an emerging evidence base, is becoming gradually embedded into health and social care services in the UK. The article focuses on the genesis of peer support in mental health services, demonstrating a different pathway from examples given in general health services. It describes the modalities and delivery of peer support reflecting the different situational contexts in which the activity takes place. The emphasis on the need for training peer supporters to carry out this function is explored together with the existing, yet insufficient, evidence base in both intervention and cost effective terms. The article concludes with a discussion on the interrelationship between the unique and ambiguous components that the concept of peer support raises. Adapted from the source document.
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ISSN:0352-7956