Job responsibilities
The following are the core responsibilities of the PCN social prescribing link worker (SPLW). There may be on occasion, a requirement to carry out other tasks. This will be dependent upon factors such as workload and staffing levels:
a. To 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 [this list is not exhaustive]
b. To provide personalised support to individuals, their families and carers to take control of their well-being, live independently and improve their health outcomes
c. To develop trusting relationships by giving people time and focus on what matters to me
d. To manage and prioritise your own caseload in accordance with the needs,priorities and any urgent support required by individuals on the caseload
e. To have a strong awareness and understanding of when it is appropriate or necessary to refer people back to other health professionals or agencies, when what the person needs is beyond the scope of this SPLW role
f. To work as part of a multi-disciplinary team in a patient facing role using expert knowledge within the SPLW areas and to promote social prescribing and its role in self-management
g. To work together with all local partners to collectively ensure that local VCSE organisations and community groups are sustainable and that community assets are nurtured
h. To 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
i. To ensure that social prescribing referral codes are inputted to EMIS system and that all information is collated and recording in the correct manner, usage of EMIS system and other spreadsheets. The persons use of the NHS can be tracked, adhering to data protection legislation and data sharing agreements with the CCG
j. To liaise with the practices and, where practicable, to standardise the social prescribing process across the PCN
k. To 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
l. To provide referral agencies with regular updates about social prescribing, including training for their staff and how to access information to encourage appropriate referrals
m. To be proactive in encouraging self-referrals and connecting with all local communities, particularly those communities that statutory agencies may find hard to reach
n. To meet people on a one-to-one basis, making home visits where appropriate within organisations policies and procedures giving people time to tell their stories and focus on what matters to me and building trust with the person, providing non-judgemental support, respecting diversity and lifestyle choices. The role requires working from a strength-based approach focusing on a persons assets
o. To be a friendly source of information about wellbeing and prevention approaches
p. To help people identify the wider issues that impact on their health and well-being such as debt, poor housing, being unemployed, loneliness and caring responsibilities
q. To help people maintain or regain independence through living skills, adaptations, enablement approaches and simple safeguards
r. To work with individuals to co-produce a simple personalised support plan
s. Where people may be eligible for a personal health budget, to help them to explore this option as a way of providing funded, personalised support to be independent, including helping people to gain skills for meaningful employment, where appropriate
t. To forge strong links with local organisations, community and neighbourhood level groups, utilising their networks and building on whats already available
u. To work with commissioners and local partners to identify unmet needs within the community and gaps in community provision
v. To support local partners and commissioners to develop new groups and services where needed, through small grants for community groups, micro-commissioning and development support
w. To support in the delivery of enhanced services and other service requirements on behalf of the PCN
x.To produce SPLW newsletters or bulletins on a quarterly basis
y. To support virtual and remote models of consultation and support including econsultations, remote medication review and telehealth and telemedicine
