Staff experiences of working alongside peer support workers in forensic mental health community teams: a qualitative study

Abstract

Purpose Peer support workers (PSWs) are individuals with lived experience of mental health difficulties, who apply this to support and inspire others in their recovery. The role of PSWs is relatively new within the forensic health-care service. Although there has been little time for these roles to develop, PSWs have successfully integrated into community teams. Despite perceived benefits of having these workers within a multi-disciplinary team (MDT), the views held by mental health professionals in forensic services have not yet been studied. The purpose of this research is to develop an understanding of the experiences of staff working with PSWs in a community forensic team and the impact this has on them. Design/methodology/approach Structured, individual interviews were conducted with eight mental health professionals, from a variety of disciplines, used across two community teams within forensic services. The data was examined according to thematic analysis. Findings The data indicated general positive attitudes held by professionals surrounding the working with PSWs, including the themes “providing alternative perspectives”, “unique relationships” and “hope”. Yet, themes concerned around “role ambiguity”, “boundaries” and “the impact on PSWs” also arose. Practical implications This study provides insight into the attitudes held by members of an MDT of working with PSWs. Although seemingly positive, the lack of clarity around the role of the PSW is problematic. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to explore the employment of PSWs in the context of UK forensic settings, highlighting the benefits and challenges of such from the perspective of staff.