Western Dales Social Prescribing Link Worker

Job description

Job responsibilities

• Take referrals from PCNs GP practices and multi-disciplinary teams, and work closely with PCNs for the benefit of the local population

• Discuss the persons needs with them, based on guidance from the referrer, and identify a range of options that could assist the person to improve their independence and health and wellbeing

• Strengthen community and personal resilience, focusing on what matters to me and taking a holistic approach with each individual case

• Co-produce a simple personalised care and support plan to improve health & wellbeing introducing or reconnecting people to community groups and statutory services

• Manage and prioritise own caseload, in accordance with the needs

• Have a strong awareness and understanding of when it is appropriate or necessary to refer people back to other health professionals/agencies, when the persons needs are beyond the scope of the link worker role e.g., when there is a need requiring a qualified practitioner

• Identify new, and work in partnership with voluntary and statutory organisations

• Understand the barriers and opportunities for people to self-manage their conditions in the community

• Have a role in educating clinical and non-clinical staff within their PCN multi-disciplinary teams on what other services are available within the community and how and when people can access them

• Be responsible to undertake continual personal and professional development, attend regular clinical supervision and study days. Take an active part in reviewing and developing the roles and responsibilities

• Network with other local Social Prescribing Link Workers and where possible form mutual support

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

• To promote the development of those working within the PCN team. Actively participate in regular co-supervision of peers organise and attend regular team meetings.

Key Tasks:

• Promote social prescribing, its role in self-management and the wider determinants of health

• As part of the PCN multi-disciplinary team, attend relevant MDT Network meetings, providing information and feedback on social prescribing on request

• Be proactive in encouraging self-referrals and connecting with all local communities, particularly those communities that support groups may find hard to reach

• Identify and work with charitable and volunteer organisations, promoting their services to your patients as well as advising practice staff on the support available

• Be a friendly source of information about well-being and prevention approaches. Help people identify the wider issues that impact on their health and wellbeing, such as debt, poor housing, being unemployed, loneliness and caring responsibilities

• Work with the person, their families and carers and consider how they can all be supported through social prescribing

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

• Seek advice and support from relevant GPs to discuss people-related concerns (e.g., abuse, domestic violence and support with mental health), escalating the support back to the GP or other suitable health professional if required

• Work with the PCN Clinical Director, GP Federation, commissioners and local partners to identify unmet needs within the community and gaps in community provision

• Where possible, encourage people, their families and carers to provide peer support and to do things together, such as setting up new community groups or volunteering

• The SPLW will be expected to keep accurate and up-to-date records on relevant health and social care systems

• The SPLW will gather record and collate data, including case studies, in a prescribed format in order to demonstrate the impact of the service

• Undertake and tasks consistent with the level of the post and the scope of the role, ensuring that work is delivered in a timely and effective manner

All staff have an individual responsibility to comply with the organisations policies and practices.

Duties will vary from time to time under the direction of the clinical director and network management leads, in agreement with the post holder, dependent on current and evolving practice workload and staffing levels.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• NVQ Level 3, Advanced level or equivalent qualifications or working towards
• Demonstrable commitment to professional and personal development
• Training in motivational coaching and interviewing or equivalent experience

Personal Qualities & Attributes

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
• Knowledge of and ability to work to policies and procedures, including confidentiality, safeguarding, lone working, information governance, and health and safety

Desirable

• Understanding of the needs of small volunteer-led community groups and ability to support their development

Experience

Essential

• 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 of supporting people, their families and carers in a related role (including unpaid work)

Desirable

• Experience of supporting people in the creation of Personalised Care Plans, and supporting the implementation of their Care Plans
• Experience of supporting people with their mental health, either in a paid, unpaid or informal capacity
• Experience of working with the VCSE sector (in a paid or unpaid capacity), including with volunteers and small community groups
• Experience of data collection and providing monitoring information to assess the impact of services
• Experience of partnership/collaborative working and of building relationships across a variety of organisations

Skills & Knowledge

Essential

• Knowledge of the personalised care approach
• Understanding of the wider determinants of health, including social, economic and environmental factors and their impact on communities
• Knowledge of IT systems, EMIS clinical system, ability to use word processing skills, emails and the internet to create simple plans and reports

Desirable

• Knowledge of community development approaches
• Knowledge of motivational coaching and interview skills
• Knowledge of VCSE and community services in the locality

Other

Essential

• Meets DBS reference standards and has a clear criminal record, in line with the law on spent convictions
• Willingness to work flexible hours when required to meet work demands
• Access to own transport and ability to travel across the locality on a regular basis, including to visit people in their own homes

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

Morecambe Bay Primary Care Collaborative

Address

The Lunesdale Surgery

Wellington Court

Kirkby Lonsdale

Carnforth

Lancashire

LA6 2HQ

Employer's website

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