A MAN who has endured trauma and now helps those who have suffered similar experiences has spoken out about why NHS mental health care is so important.

Simon Cross, of Southend, works with staff at the Essex University Partnership (EPUT) as a lived experience ambassador and trained peer support worker.

The 59-year-old was molested as a boy and has suffered several bereavements, including the death of a close friend during his childhood.

In recent times, Simon has also lost several close relatives, including his parents and sister who died within a short space of time.

Braintree and Witham Times: Empathy - Simon Cross explained how empathy above sympathy was crucial to being a skilled peer support workerEmpathy - Simon Cross explained how empathy above sympathy was crucial to being a skilled peer support worker (Image: Submitted)

Simon explained as a peer support worker having personal experience of what patients are going through means individuals have a “deeper level of understanding”.

Simon was invited to become a lived experience ambassador after he made a complaint about services and suggested improvements.

Now, as part of his role, he interviews candidates for nursing jobs and helps train staff to handle calls from members of the public.

He said: “One of the early pieces of work I did was address a new intake of staff and talk to them about my experiences.

“It was very gratifying to hear their feedback afterwards.”

Braintree and Witham Times: Support - (Left to right) peer support workers Magda Gorzkowitcz, Laura O'Connor, and Renee ConleySupport - (Left to right) peer support workers Magda Gorzkowitcz, Laura O'Connor, and Renee Conley (Image: EPUT)

Simon is especially grateful to mental health nurses for the work they do and revealed he has met several nurses on wards who find peer support work “extremely useful”.

Simon added: “It means they can spend more of their time doing the work they need to do on the wards while peer support workers can do activities with the patients such as taking someone for a walk around the grounds.

“Peer support does take a little bit of pressure off nursing staff at times when they might be busy or dealing with a crisis on the ward.”

Simon sees peer support as an another tool alongside medication, therapies, and coping skills.

“People deserve understanding," he added.

“Being able to identify those areas that have caused my life to be not as fulfilled as I’d have liked it to have been, was not a cure, but the start of the road to recovery.”