PCN Social Prescribing Link Worker

Job description

Job responsibilities

Key Responsibilities

1. Receiving and actioning referrals from a wide range of agencies, working with GP practices within primary care networks (PCNs), 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. Providing personalised support to individuals, their families and carers to enable them to take control of their well-being, live independently and improve their health outcomes.

3. Develop trusting relationships by giving people time to focus on what matters to them. Taking an holistic approach, based on the persons priorities and the wider determinants of health.

4. To co-produce a personalised support plan to improve health and wellbeing, to introduce or reconnect people to community groups and statutory services. It is vital that the Social Prescribing Link Worker has a strong awareness and understanding of when it is appropriate or necessary to refer people back to other health professionals or agencies.

5. To increase the strengths and capacities of local communities, and enable 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.

6. 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.

7. Build a robust knowledge of health, social and third sector provision available across the Nuneaton and Bedworth locality and surrounding areas.

8. Act as an advocate for patients and service users of the health and social care system.

9. Build relationships with key staff in GP practices within the local Primary Care Network (PCN). Attend relevant meetings and integrate as part of the wider network team, providing information and feedback on social prescribing matters.

10. Work in partnership with all local agencies to raise awareness of social prescribing and demonstrate how partnership working can reduce pressure on statutory services, improve health outcomes and enable a holistic approach to care.

11. To support with the requirements as outlined in the PCN DES.

Personalised Care and Support

1. Build relationships with patients, their families and carers and carry out regular telephone consultations and reviews within the GP practice or community setting.

2. Meet people on a one-to-one basis, undertaking home visits where appropriate within organisations policies and procedures. Give people time to tell their stories and focus on what matters to me.

3. Build trust with the person, providing non-judgmental support, respecting diversity and lifestyle choices. Work from a strength-based approach focusing on a persons assets.

4. Be a friendly source of information about wellbeing and prevention approaches.

5. Help people identify the wider issues that impact on their health and wellbeing, such as debt, poor housing, being unemployed, loneliness and caring.

6. Communicate effectively with patients, families and carers recognising the need for alternative communication methods of communication to overcome different levels of understanding, cultural background and preferred ways of communicating.

7. Help people maintain or regain independence through living skills, adaptations, enablement approaches and simple safeguards.

8. Work with individuals to co-produce a simple personalised support plan; based on the persons priorities, interests, values and motivations, including what they can expect from the groups, activities and services they are being connected to and what the person can do for themselves to improve their health and wellbeing.

9. Where appropriate, physically introduce people to community groups, activities and statutory services, ensuring they are comfortable. Provide follow-up to ensure that they are happy, engaged, included and receiving good support.

General Tasks

1. Produce accurate, contemporaneous and complete records of patient contact, consistent with legislation, policies and procedures.

2. Work sensitively and effectively with people, their families and carers to capture key information, enabling tracking of the impact of social prescribing on their health and wellbeing.

3. Build relationships with patients, their families and carers and carry out regular telephone consultations and reviews within the GP practice or community setting.

4. Encourage people, their families and carers to provide feedback and to share their stories about the impact of social prescribing on their lives.

5. Seek regular feedback about the quality of service and impact of social prescribing on referral agencies.

6. Understand and apply legal issues that support the identification of vulnerable and abused children and adults, and be aware of statutory child/vulnerable patients health procedures and local guidance.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• GCSE Grade C or above in Maths and English, or equivalent qualification

Desirable

• NVQ Level 3, Advanced Level or equivalent or working towards and a commitment to professional and personal development.
• Formal Safeguarding qualification.

Experience

Essential

• Experience of managing and prioritising a caseload
• Experience of using good communication skills, both written and verbal
• Experience of building relationships with patients, their families and carers
• Experience of providing personalised support to individuals, their families and carers

Desirable

• Experience of working in General Practice
• Knowledge or previous use of the Joy system
• Experience of using EMIS (computerised patient record system)

Other

Essential

• Must hold a full UK driving licence and have access to a car, as there is a requirement to travel between practices and work with patients in the community.

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.

Employer details

Employer name

Nuneaton & Bedworth Primary Care Network

Address

Manor Court Surgery

5 Manor Court Avenue

Nuneaton

Warwickshire

CV11 5HX

Employer's website

https://www.nuneatonandbedworthpcn.co.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)