Job summary
Health Coaches support people to take proactive steps to improve the way they manage their physical and mental health conditions, based on what matters to them. They support people to develop their knowledge, skills and confidence, or to build their patient activation in managing their health and care, to improve their health outcomes and quality of life. Health coaches do this by coaching and motivating patients through multiple sessions to identify their needs, set goals, and supporting patients to achieve their personalised health and care plan objectives and providing interventions such as self-management education and peer support.
The successful candidate will be kind, reflective and self-aware and will enjoy working with a wide range of people. They will have good communication and negotiation skills and a firm belief that people have untapped resources within them, that can be unleashed by providing a high quality, non-judgmental service.
They will be proactive with a flexible attitude, keen to work as part of a team and committed to developing themselves in this skilled role and supporting colleagues to do the same.
The post holder should be aware that this post will require working within the Taunton Neighbourhood Hub and in the future, some weekend/out of hours working to support the Trust's aim of a 7-day service across Somerset may be required.
Main duties of the job
Experience of working in a care setting would be advantageous but all necessary skills training, professional updates and mandatory training as appropriate to the post will be provided.
Full details of duties can be found in the job description.
Please be advised this vacancy may close early if we reach a sufficient amount of applications.
About us
At Somerset NHS Foundation Trust, we're committed to supporting our employees with a range of benefits designed to enhance your professional and personal life. We offer:
- Flexible working options to help you balance work and life
- NHS pension scheme for long-term financial security
- Generous annual leave allowance to recharge and relax
- A strong focus on career development to help you grow and achieve your potential
Additionally, you'll gain access to our Blue Light Card, unlocking exclusive discounts on shopping, dining, and leisure activities, as well as NHS-specific perks to support you both inside and outside of work.
We are proud to foster a diverse, skilled, and inclusive workforce, and we encourage applications from all backgrounds.
Why Somerset? Somerset offers the perfect blend of idyllic countryside, outstanding areas of natural beauty, and breathtaking coastlines, with vibrant cities like Bristol, Bath, and Exeter just a short drive away - and only two hours to London.
The region is home to excellent educational facilities, and with affordable housing compared to other parts of the country, it's a great place to build both your career and your future.
Somerset truly has it all - the peaceful countryside and cosmopolitan city life, with something for everyone to enjoy.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The post holder will have responsibility for proactively reaching out to, monitoring and coordinating care for a defined cohort of complex patients. The post holder will be a key member of the complex care team, playing a critical role in engaging patients and use health coaching techniques to support them to take an active role in their health.
The post holder will work with those of low to medium complexity of both physical and mental health.
The post holder will work closely with the other members of the complex, primary and secondary care teams in the management / decision making about care and service provision for individual patients. This will include:
Care planning, health coaching and delivery of systematic self-management support based on a knowledge of individual's activation levels.
Support effective team working in complex care through attending regular team meetings (huddles).
Support for individuals to access appropriate community resources and services
For more details and further information about the role, please see the attached job description and person specification.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The post holder will have responsibility for proactively reaching out to, monitoring and coordinating care for a defined cohort of complex patients. The post holder will be a key member of the complex care team, playing a critical role in engaging patients and use health coaching techniques to support them to take an active role in their health.
The post holder will work with those of low to medium complexity of both physical and mental health.
The post holder will work closely with the other members of the complex, primary and secondary care teams in the management / decision making about care and service provision for individual patients. This will include:
Care planning, health coaching and delivery of systematic self-management support based on a knowledge of individual's activation levels.
Support effective team working in complex care through attending regular team meetings (huddles).
Support for individuals to access appropriate community resources and services
For more details and further information about the role, please see the attached job description and person specification.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Have completed the Personalised Care Institute accredited person-centred conversation training and health coaching training or complete as soon as post commences
- Willingness to undertake in-house Health Coach training
Desirable
- Higher accredited coaching qualification
- Formal training in working with long term conditions
Experience
Essential
- Evidence of ability to both work autonomously and to seek support and guidance when appropriate.
- Evidence of working within a team setting
Desirable
- Working within the Health sector.
- Working within community care and/or hospital care services.
- Working within a multidisciplinary team.
- Dealing with frail older patients and or patients with long term conditions, including dementia.
- Working with rehabilitation and promoting independence.
Additional Criteria
Essential
- A good standard of English in listening, speaking, reading and writing.
- General IT skills.
- Ability to work effectively as part of a team and to maintain a positive team working relationship
- Ability to demonstrate sensitivity, empathy and compassion to the needs of service users and carers.
- Ability to handle conflict positively in an open and constructive manner.
- Ability to deal with challenging behaviour, e.g. Individuals with challenging unhelpful health beliefs
- Ability to motivate others
- Ability to effectively manage a variable and sometimes intensive workload
- Ability to assess patients' health priorities without direct supervision following protocols and evidence base.
- Able to demonstrate a good standard of English language
- Evidence of a good standard of Literacy
- Intuitive and caring nature
- Ability to write concise, relevant and accurate notes
- Ability to communicate with a wide range of professionals
- Strong telephone communication skills (e.g. telephone advice lines).
- Strong communication skills and interpersonal skills, including an ability to build rapport and establish good one-to-one relationships.
- Compassionate - Open minded, treats colleagues, patients, carers and relatives with dignity and respect
- Flexible and adaptable to meet the needs of the patients
- Ability to prioritise workload
- Ability to travel to conduct patient visits within a specified catchment area.
- Willingness to use technology to improve standards of care and support to our patients
- Ability to work flexibly in an innovative and developing role
- Meets DBS reference standards and criminal record checks
- Ability to travel across multiple sites
- Has driving licence and access to car use for work
Desirable
- Has an understanding of the important of user/carer involvement
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Have completed the Personalised Care Institute accredited person-centred conversation training and health coaching training or complete as soon as post commences
- Willingness to undertake in-house Health Coach training
Desirable
- Higher accredited coaching qualification
- Formal training in working with long term conditions
Experience
Essential
- Evidence of ability to both work autonomously and to seek support and guidance when appropriate.
- Evidence of working within a team setting
Desirable
- Working within the Health sector.
- Working within community care and/or hospital care services.
- Working within a multidisciplinary team.
- Dealing with frail older patients and or patients with long term conditions, including dementia.
- Working with rehabilitation and promoting independence.
Additional Criteria
Essential
- A good standard of English in listening, speaking, reading and writing.
- General IT skills.
- Ability to work effectively as part of a team and to maintain a positive team working relationship
- Ability to demonstrate sensitivity, empathy and compassion to the needs of service users and carers.
- Ability to handle conflict positively in an open and constructive manner.
- Ability to deal with challenging behaviour, e.g. Individuals with challenging unhelpful health beliefs
- Ability to motivate others
- Ability to effectively manage a variable and sometimes intensive workload
- Ability to assess patients' health priorities without direct supervision following protocols and evidence base.
- Able to demonstrate a good standard of English language
- Evidence of a good standard of Literacy
- Intuitive and caring nature
- Ability to write concise, relevant and accurate notes
- Ability to communicate with a wide range of professionals
- Strong telephone communication skills (e.g. telephone advice lines).
- Strong communication skills and interpersonal skills, including an ability to build rapport and establish good one-to-one relationships.
- Compassionate - Open minded, treats colleagues, patients, carers and relatives with dignity and respect
- Flexible and adaptable to meet the needs of the patients
- Ability to prioritise workload
- Ability to travel to conduct patient visits within a specified catchment area.
- Willingness to use technology to improve standards of care and support to our patients
- Ability to work flexibly in an innovative and developing role
- Meets DBS reference standards and criminal record checks
- Ability to travel across multiple sites
- Has driving licence and access to car use for work
Desirable
- Has an understanding of the important of user/carer involvement
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.
