Christian Burr1, Katja Rother1, Laila Elhilali1, Andréa Winter1, Bernd Kozel1, Katja Weidling2, Gianfranco Zuaboni1,3. 1. Universitätsklinik für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie, Universitäre Psychiatrische Dienste Bern (UPD), Schweiz. 2. Florence-Nightingale-Krankenhaus, Düsseldorf, Deutschland. 3. Sanatorium Kilchberg AG, Privatklinik für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie, Kilchberg (ZH), Schweiz.
Abstract
AIM OF THE STUDY: To identify work contents, roles and tasks of peer workers in mental health services in the German-speaking part of Switzerland. METHODS: A survey was conducted among peers in the German-speaking part of Switzerland. RESULTS: Most respondents stated that they work mainly in specialized services in the treatment of people with psychoses and affective disorders and in direct contact with service users. "Building bridges" between service users and professionals, conveying hope and confidence, empowerment as well as support in symptom management was most frequently indicated as a work activity. The majority of respondents have job descriptions that correspond to their activities. CONCLUSIONS: For mental health services, the challenge is to integrate the new professional group of peers workers as well as possible without undermining their proximity to the service users or their possibly critical perspective with regard to the existing practice. Thieme. All rights reserved.
AIM OF THE STUDY: To identify work contents, roles and tasks of peer workers in mental health services in the German-speaking part of Switzerland. METHODS: A survey was conducted among peers in the German-speaking part of Switzerland. RESULTS: Most respondents stated that they work mainly in specialized services in the treatment of people with psychoses and affective disorders and in direct contact with service users. "Building bridges" between service users and professionals, conveying hope and confidence, empowerment as well as support in symptom management was most frequently indicated as a work activity. The majority of respondents have job descriptions that correspond to their activities. CONCLUSIONS: For mental health services, the challenge is to integrate the new professional group of peers workers as well as possible without undermining their proximity to the service users or their possibly critical perspective with regard to the existing practice. Thieme. All rights reserved.