Freedom of Information Request – Ref: GHC-27112025-117455
Thank you for your recent Freedom of Information request. Please find our response below.
As of 1st November 2025:
1. Workforce numbers:
You asked:
a. Total number of Peer Support Workers employed in the trust and number of volunteer PSWs (if applicable).
Our response:
43 Peer Support Workers employed by the Trust (this includes substantive, fixed-term and bank). There are no volunteer Peer Support Workers within the Trust.
You asked:
b. Total number of other roles where lived experience is an essential requirement (e.g., peer trainers, peer educators).
Our response:
We are unable to access this information, this information is not recorded on the electronic staff record system.
You asked:
c. Percentage of PSW workforce who are on a fixed-term contract.
Our response:
9.3%
2. Role banding / grading:
You asked:
a. Number of PSWs at each NHS band (e.g., Band 2, 3, 4, etc.).
Our response:
Band 3 – 28
Band 4 – 10
Band 5 – 3
Band 7 – 2
You asked:
b. Number and names of other lived-experience roles at each band.
Our response:
Unable to provide this information – all Peer Support Worker & Lived Experience posts are coded to the Job Role Peer Support Worker.
3. Training and development:
You asked:
a. Are PSWs trained internally by the trust, externally by a third party, or both?
Our response:
We have an internal PSW course that most have done but some PSWs have also completed externally provided training.
You asked:
b. Do PSWs receive training prior to starting their role, on-the-job, or a combination of both?
Our response:
A combination.
You asked:
c. Continuing Professional Development (CPD) opportunities available for PSWs.
Our response:
PSWs have access to CPD in the same way as other employees and this is reviewed at appraisal.
You asked:
d. Career progression routes for PSWs (brief description or number progressing to other roles in the last 12 months).
Our response:
We are working on a strategic framework to support development of lived experience roles in the Trust and career progression. We have recently recruited a lead for PSW/LxPs in the Trust at a band 7 and this person will be overseeing this work.
4. Absence and wellbeing:
You asked:
a. Average sickness absence for PSWs over the past 18 months (days lost per FTE).
Our response:
100.67 average absence days per FTE over the last 18 months.
You asked:
b. If available, the percentage of sickness absence related to mental health.
Our response:
87.6%
5. Directorate allocation:
You asked:
a. Number of PSWs employed in each directorate/service area (please name each directorate area within your response).
Our response:
Adult Community Mental Health- 5
CW Specialist Services – 4
Specialist Mental Health Svcs– 8
Bank Team – 22
Therapies Total – 2
Urgent Care MH Total – 2
You asked:
b. Where peer support sits within the organisation structure (e.g., Patient Participation and Involvement, Nursing, Recovery Services, or other)-please describe.
Our response:
Peer support sits within Psychological Services currently from a leadership perspective but PSWs are employed withing operational teams.
6. Workforce composition:
You asked:
a. Percentage of the trust’s total workforce in lived-experience or peer support roles.
Our response:
0.41%
You asked:
b. Number and percentage of roles with essential lived experience within the job description/person specification relative to total trust workforce.
Our response:
Unable to supply this information – do not have access to each PSW’s job description.
You asked:
c. Ethnic diversity of PSWs (percentage of PSW’s who identify as BAME).
Our response:
4%
7. Workforce trends:
You asked:
a. Has the number of PSW or lived-experience roles increased, decreased, or stayed the same over the past 18 months?
Our response:
Slight increase. Headcount in June 2024 was 17, headcount in November 2025 was 23 (this covers permanent and fixed term PSW roles only).
You asked:
b. Any anticipated change in the number of PSW roles over the next 18 months (optional/if available).
Our response:
We are anticipating that the strategic framework will support the development of further roles but this is not confirmed.
Next steps:
Should you have any queries in relation to our response, please do not hesitate to contact us. If you are unhappy with the response you have received in relation to your request and wish to ask us to review our response, you should write to:
Louise Moss
Head of Legal Services / Associate Director of Corporate Governance
c/o Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust
Edward Jenner Court
1010 Pioneer Avenue
Gloucester Business Park
Brockworth, GL3 4AW
E-mail: louise.moss@ghc.nhs.uk
If you are not content with the outcome of any review, you may apply directly to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) for further advice/guidance. Generally, the ICO will not consider your case unless you have exhausted your enquiries with the Trust which should include considering the use of the Trust’s formal complaints procedure. The ICO can be contacted at: The Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF.