Peer Support: What Is It and Does It Work?

National Voices compiled information from more than 1000 studies to help organisations and commissioners make decisions about investing in peer support. It shows that peer support can take many forms, such as informal telephone calls, group get-togethers, online forums or structured training offered by paid peers in partnership with professionals. The report also shows that there is a limited understanding of the different forms of peer support, how best to deliver support and the forms of training and infrastructure to get the most impact from it; so, further evidence is needed to fully understand the impact it has on the health service and individuals with long-term health conditions.