Job summary
Purpose of the role
Social prescribing empowers people to take control of their health
and wellbeing through referral to non-medical link workers who give time,
focus on what matters to me and take a holistic approach, connecting people
to community groups and statutory services for practical and emotional support.
Link workers support existing groups to be accessible and sustainable and help
people to start new community groups, working collaboratively with all local
partners.
Social prescribing can help to strengthen community resilience and
personal resilience and reduces health inequalities by addressing the wider
determinants of health, such as debt, poor housing and physical inactivity, by
increasing peoples active involvement with their local communities. It
particularly works for people with long-term conditions (including support for
mental health), for people who are lonely or isolated, or have complex social
needs which affect their wellbeing.
Main duties of the job
Key Tasks
Referrals
Promoting social prescribing, its role in self-management,
and the wider determinants of health.
Build relationships with key staff in GP practices within the
local Primary Care Network (PCN), attending relevant meetings, becoming part of
the wider network team, giving information and feedback on social prescribing.
Be proactive in developing strong links with all local
agencies to encourage referrals, recognising what they need to be confident in
the service to make appropriate referrals.
Work in partnership with all local agencies to raise
awareness of social prescribing and how partnership working can reduce pressure
on statutory services, improve health outcomes and enable a holistic approach
to care.
Provide referral agencies with regular updates about social
prescribing, including training for their staff and how to access information
to encourage appropriate referrals.
Seek regular feedback about the quality of service and impact
of social prescribing on referral agencies.
Be proactive in encouraging self-referrals and connecting
with all local communities, particularly those communities that statutory
agencies may find hard to reach.
About us
The Medics Primary Care Network (PCN) serves a population of circa 56,000 patients residing across the Luton in Bedfordshire.
Working collaboratively with other partners to strengthen and support the delivery of Primary Care services, the PCN consists of 5 core GP practices Woodland Avenue Practice, Medici Medical Practice, Gardenia & Marsh Farm Practice, Bell House Medical Centre & Barton Hills Medical Group.
Medics PCN have their own network base at Marsh Farm Health Centre where our central PCN team work from.
We are a stable, mature and pro-active PCN who are looking for a highly motivated and proactive applicants with a flexible can-do attitude who will be committed to providing patients with high quality support to work alongside our current personalised care team of a Social prescriber, Health & Wellbeing Coaches and various care co-ordinators.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Key responsibilities
1.
Take referrals from a wide range of agencies, working with GP
practices within primary care networks, pharmacies, multi-disciplinary teams,
hospital discharge teams, allied health professionals, fire service, police,
job centres, social care services, housing associations, and voluntary,
community and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations (list not exhaustive).
2.
Provide personalised support to individuals, their families and
carers to take control of their wellbeing, live independently and improve their
health outcomes. Develop trusting relationships by giving people time and focus
on what matters to me. Take a holistic approach, based on the persons
priorities and the wider determinants of health. Co-produce a personalised
support plan to improve health and wellbeing, introducing or reconnecting
people to community groups and statutory services. The role will require
managing and prioritising your own caseload, in accordance with the needs,
priorities and any urgent support required by individuals choose an item on the caseload. It is vital that you have a strong awareness
and understanding of when it is appropriate or necessary to refer people back
to other health professionals/agencies, when what the person needs is beyond
the scope of the link worker role e.g., when there is a mental health need
requiring a qualified practitioner.
3.
Draw on and increase the strengths and capacities
of local communities, enabling local VCSE organisations and community groups to
receive social prescribing referrals. Ensure they are supported, have basic
safeguarding processes for vulnerable individuals and can provide opportunities
for the person to develop friendships, a sense of belonging, and build
knowledge, skills and confidence.
4.
Work together with all local partners to
collectively ensure that local VCSE organisations and community groups are
sustainable and that community assets are nurtured, by making them aware of
small grants or micro-commissioning if available, including providing support
to set up new community groups and services, where gaps are identified in local
provision.
For a full briefing of the job description, please download the attached supporting documentation.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Key responsibilities
1.
Take referrals from a wide range of agencies, working with GP
practices within primary care networks, pharmacies, multi-disciplinary teams,
hospital discharge teams, allied health professionals, fire service, police,
job centres, social care services, housing associations, and voluntary,
community and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations (list not exhaustive).
2.
Provide personalised support to individuals, their families and
carers to take control of their wellbeing, live independently and improve their
health outcomes. Develop trusting relationships by giving people time and focus
on what matters to me. Take a holistic approach, based on the persons
priorities and the wider determinants of health. Co-produce a personalised
support plan to improve health and wellbeing, introducing or reconnecting
people to community groups and statutory services. The role will require
managing and prioritising your own caseload, in accordance with the needs,
priorities and any urgent support required by individuals choose an item on the caseload. It is vital that you have a strong awareness
and understanding of when it is appropriate or necessary to refer people back
to other health professionals/agencies, when what the person needs is beyond
the scope of the link worker role e.g., when there is a mental health need
requiring a qualified practitioner.
3.
Draw on and increase the strengths and capacities
of local communities, enabling local VCSE organisations and community groups to
receive social prescribing referrals. Ensure they are supported, have basic
safeguarding processes for vulnerable individuals and can provide opportunities
for the person to develop friendships, a sense of belonging, and build
knowledge, skills and confidence.
4.
Work together with all local partners to
collectively ensure that local VCSE organisations and community groups are
sustainable and that community assets are nurtured, by making them aware of
small grants or micro-commissioning if available, including providing support
to set up new community groups and services, where gaps are identified in local
provision.
For a full briefing of the job description, please download the attached supporting documentation.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- NVQ Level 3, Advanced level or equivalent qualifications or working towards.
- Demonstrable commitment to professional and personal development.
Desirable
- Training in motivational coaching and interviewing or equivalent experience.
- Experience of working directly in a community development context, adult health and social care, learning support or public health/health improvement (including unpaid work).
Experience
Essential
- Ability to listen, empathise with people and provide person-centred support in a non-judgemental way.
- Able to get along with people from all backgrounds and communities, respecting lifestyles and diversity.
- Commitment to reducing health inequalities and proactively working to reach people from all communities.
- Able to support people in a way that inspires trust and confidence, motivating others to reach their potential.
- Ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing, with people, their families, carers, community groups, partner agencies and stakeholders.
- Ability to identify risk and assess/manage risk when working with individuals.
- Have a strong awareness and understanding of when it is appropriate or necessary to refer people back to other health professionals/agencies, when what the person needs is beyond the scope of the link worker role e.g., when there is a mental health need requiring a qualified practitioner.
- Able to work from an asset-based approach, building on existing community and personal assets.
- Able to provide leadership and to finish work tasks.
- Ability to maintain effective working relationships and to promote collaborative practice with all colleagues.
- Commitment to collaborative working with all local agencies (including VCSE organisations and community groups). Able to work with others to reduce hierarchies and find creative solutions to community issues
- Demonstrates personal accountability, emotional resilience and works well under pressure.
- Ability to organise, plan and prioritise on own initiative, including when under pressure and meeting deadlines.
- High level of written and oral communication skills.
- Ability to work flexibly and enthusiastically within a team or on own initiative.
- Understanding of the needs of small volunteer-led community groups and ability to support their development.
- Knowledge of and ability to work to policies and procedures, including confidentiality, safeguarding, lone working, information governance, and health and safety.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- NVQ Level 3, Advanced level or equivalent qualifications or working towards.
- Demonstrable commitment to professional and personal development.
Desirable
- Training in motivational coaching and interviewing or equivalent experience.
- Experience of working directly in a community development context, adult health and social care, learning support or public health/health improvement (including unpaid work).
Experience
Essential
- Ability to listen, empathise with people and provide person-centred support in a non-judgemental way.
- Able to get along with people from all backgrounds and communities, respecting lifestyles and diversity.
- Commitment to reducing health inequalities and proactively working to reach people from all communities.
- Able to support people in a way that inspires trust and confidence, motivating others to reach their potential.
- Ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing, with people, their families, carers, community groups, partner agencies and stakeholders.
- Ability to identify risk and assess/manage risk when working with individuals.
- Have a strong awareness and understanding of when it is appropriate or necessary to refer people back to other health professionals/agencies, when what the person needs is beyond the scope of the link worker role e.g., when there is a mental health need requiring a qualified practitioner.
- Able to work from an asset-based approach, building on existing community and personal assets.
- Able to provide leadership and to finish work tasks.
- Ability to maintain effective working relationships and to promote collaborative practice with all colleagues.
- Commitment to collaborative working with all local agencies (including VCSE organisations and community groups). Able to work with others to reduce hierarchies and find creative solutions to community issues
- Demonstrates personal accountability, emotional resilience and works well under pressure.
- Ability to organise, plan and prioritise on own initiative, including when under pressure and meeting deadlines.
- High level of written and oral communication skills.
- Ability to work flexibly and enthusiastically within a team or on own initiative.
- Understanding of the needs of small volunteer-led community groups and ability to support their development.
- Knowledge of and ability to work to policies and procedures, including confidentiality, safeguarding, lone working, information governance, and health and safety.
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
