Job summary
We have an exciting opportunity for an experienced Link Worker / Social Prescriber to undertake a new role within Primary Care.
The essential features of the service are empowering people to take control of their health and wellbeing, focusing on what matters to me, and connecting people to community groups and statutory services for practical and emotional support. It also involves creating action plans, reviewing these in a way that is most meaningful to the patient. Compliance with the recording requirements of the practices is essential to monitoring the effectiveness of the service.
It is also envisaged that this role will develop to work alongside other third sector roles to support existing groups to be accessible and sustainable and help people to start new community groups.
You will be working in Saville Medical Group located in Newcastle upon Tyne. Your working hours will be within the GP practice opening hours during the working week.
Main duties of the job
The focus will be on patients who have been impacted by drugs and alcohol, and may live a chaotic lifestyle. Referrals into our service will be identified by the practices, you will provide support focused on active, empathic listening, helping the person to problem solve and link into services and other local support resources. You will support patients with practical support and tools to help prevent relapse and other self-management tools to support the individual. You will support the individual to develop their knowledge, skills and confidence to withstand future life challenges.
About you
We would love to hear from you if you possess the following:
- Are an experienced link worker / social prescriber
- To have at least two years experience working with people with drug and alcohol misuse
- Are passionate about helping others realise their potential
- Are self-motivated and have good communication skills
- Can work to deliver required performance targets
- Have experience of partnership working
About us
We're here so nobody has to struggle alone. We're a charity providing high-quality integrated mental health and wellbeing services, placing people and communities at the heart of everything we do.
What we offer in return
We are proud to have been recognised and certified as a Great Place to Work, which speaks volumes on how much we value our staff members. In return for the hard work and dedication from our teams, we offer the following benefits:
- 30 days Annual Leave plus Bank Holidays (rising to 32 days at 5 years service) and with the option to purchase or sell days
- Enhanced Pension
- Refer a Friend payment, Cycle to Work & Enhanced Car schemes
- Vitality Wellbeing Programme including Employee Assistant Programme, GP & priority Physiotherapy access and shopping discounts.
- Fully funded flu vaccines & eye tests
- Technology salary sacrifice scheme for home appliances, tablets, mobiles, TVs, fitness trackers and more
- A supportive culture that values work-life balance including agile working and the option to apply for flexible working from day one, career breaks, and up to a weeks special leave a year to help you manage unexpected life events
- Family friendly policies including Enhanced Maternity, Paternity and Adoption pay
- Volunteer Programme
- Enhanced Life Assurance Scheme
Job description
Job responsibilities
- Responsibility for a designated case load, carrying out personalised,
recovery focussed action planning, and supporting implementation and
review of the plan.
- To actively engage with members to introduce people to mainstream
resources.
- To develop and facilitate activities that promote employability.
- To promote good mental health and well-being, and encourage and support
activities which develop healthy lifestyles.
- To pro-actively reach out to those members who need more intense support
to move forward.
- To encourage and support people to access specialist advice on benefits,
housing, and so forth.
- To take referrals, carry out risk assessments and maintain accurate records.
- To work with other voluntary and community groups in the outer west to
develop provision to meet local need.
- To contribute to the implementation and monitoring of all policies,
procedures and systems as agreed by Mental Health Concern and West End
Family Health Primary Care Network as they relate to service delivery.
- To undertake any reasonable duties/responsibilities required to meet the
needs of the service.
Please read
the Supporting Document for the full job description and person specification
before applying to this role.
Job description
Job responsibilities
- Responsibility for a designated case load, carrying out personalised,
recovery focussed action planning, and supporting implementation and
review of the plan.
- To actively engage with members to introduce people to mainstream
resources.
- To develop and facilitate activities that promote employability.
- To promote good mental health and well-being, and encourage and support
activities which develop healthy lifestyles.
- To pro-actively reach out to those members who need more intense support
to move forward.
- To encourage and support people to access specialist advice on benefits,
housing, and so forth.
- To take referrals, carry out risk assessments and maintain accurate records.
- To work with other voluntary and community groups in the outer west to
develop provision to meet local need.
- To contribute to the implementation and monitoring of all policies,
procedures and systems as agreed by Mental Health Concern and West End
Family Health Primary Care Network as they relate to service delivery.
- To undertake any reasonable duties/responsibilities required to meet the
needs of the service.
Please read
the Supporting Document for the full job description and person specification
before applying to this role.
Person Specification
Experience
Essential
- Are an experienced link worker/social prescriber
- To have at least two years experience working with adults impacted by drugs and alcohol.
- Awareness of mental health issues & users needs
- Knowledge of recovery in the context of mental health
- Knowledge of the effects of stigma and discrimination
- Prepared to undertake a basic mental health qualification
- Very good organisational and time management skills, able to manage and prioritise own work
- Good report writing skills, with the ability to collate, analyse and present data clearly and concisely
- Able and willing to regularly work without direct supervision, using initiative
- Very good interpersonal skills, with the ability to develop good working relationships at all levels, both internally and externally
- Group facilitation & participation skills
- Good written and verbal communication
- Good IT skills, including knowledge of a range of software packages
- (including Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint and Word)
Person Specification
Experience
Essential
- Are an experienced link worker/social prescriber
- To have at least two years experience working with adults impacted by drugs and alcohol.
- Awareness of mental health issues & users needs
- Knowledge of recovery in the context of mental health
- Knowledge of the effects of stigma and discrimination
- Prepared to undertake a basic mental health qualification
- Very good organisational and time management skills, able to manage and prioritise own work
- Good report writing skills, with the ability to collate, analyse and present data clearly and concisely
- Able and willing to regularly work without direct supervision, using initiative
- Very good interpersonal skills, with the ability to develop good working relationships at all levels, both internally and externally
- Group facilitation & participation skills
- Good written and verbal communication
- Good IT skills, including knowledge of a range of software packages
- (including Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint and Word)
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.
