Job summary
We are looking for 1 Social
Prescribing Link Workers to join our established team working alongside our
practice and PCN staff. Our PCN staff currently include Social Prescribing Link
Workers, Pharmacists, Pharmacy Technicians, Care Co-Ordinators (with different
specialisms working with frailty and specific long term health conditions), Health
and Wellbeing Coaches, Physiotherapists, Podiatrists, Dieticians and Mental
Health Practitioners.
Main duties of the job
The Role
The Leeds Social Prescribing model aims to improve physical, mental and
social health and wellbeing, through a holistic approach to improving quality
of life and confidence in self-management and supporting independence. Working with our local population to improve
the way the needs of local populations are met. This will be both on
a 1:1 basis and where appropriate through the development of group work.
The post holder will work
closely with GP practices in our Network, taking referrals to support
individuals to build independence and personal resilience, enabling self
management of their health and wellbeing tailored to individual need. They will also take a lead in supporting
administrative staff to develop their signposting skills raising awareness of
the different services on offer locally.
You will be part of our
Health and Wellbeing team which is currently developing to meet the health
inequalities in our area. We work closely with other PCN
team members, our Primary Care Mental Health team and local third sector
organisations to provide services to meet the wider needs of our patients.
You will
need to work independently to develop and promote the service while working
alongside our existing Social Prescribing Link Workers. You will be required to
work flexibly across our practices and in community venues.
About us
Woodsley and Holt Park Local Care Partnership has a large footprint over north Leeds: all the way from Woodhouse, Little London, Burley, Hyde Park, Headingley and Kirkstall, through to Horsforth, Holt Park, and Cookridge.
Partners include local GPs, community health services, mental health, adult social care, Active Leeds, local councillors, pharmacists, third sector organisations and community groups. GPs involved in our partnership include:
- Fieldhead Surgery
- High Field Surgery
- Ireland Wood & Horsforth Medical Practice
- Abbey Grange Medical Practice
- Burley Park Medical Centre
- Burton Croft Surgery
- Craven Road Medical Centre
- Hyde Park Surgery
- Kirkstall Lane Medical Centre
- Laurel Bank Surgery
- Vesper Road Surgery
If you provide health and wellbeing support in our area, you are very welcome to come along, share what you do and look at how we can work with one another to support people in our local area.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The role will require managing and prioritising your own caseload, in accordance with the needs, priorities and any urgent support required by individuals on the caseload. It is essential that you understand when it is appropriate or necessary to refer patients back to other health professionals/agencies. Recognising when a patients needs are beyond the scope of the Link Worker role e.g., when there is a mental health need requiring a qualified practitioner.
You will be a key link between our PCN services and our practice team, and referrals could include supporting patients to access the most appropriate service within our PCN as well as externally.
MAIN TASKS
- To promote the service within GP practices, developing close working relationships with the teams within practices and the Primary Care Network
- To triage patients effectively and help to manage waiting lists
- To appropriately risk assess patients to minimise harm and identify harm reduction where this is needed
- To complete referrals and signpost to specialist support quickly and effectively where necessary
- To provide short term interventions up to 8 weeks of support
- Top understand, have experience in and be able to support patients with the areas across our assessment tool which covers, housing, finances, emotional well-being, social connections and isolation,
- To enable patients to manage their own mental & emotional health by using coping strategies and challenging unhelpful behaviour patterns, employment & volunteering and keeping healthy
- To develop collaborative action plans with individuals which promote choice and complement any medical treatment or advice
- To identify any barriers to people accessing services and activities and work with individuals to overcome these
- To work with other teams across the PCN to provide wide range of support
- To follow, understand and implement safeguarding procedure
- To use a range of techniques and interventions to support people, including those with long term conditions, to self-manage their health and encourage behavioural and lifestyle change
- To provide short term interventions to individuals to sustain them while waiting to access appropriate specialist provision
- To facilitate access to recommended community-based interventions and programmes of activity that benefit health and wellbeing
- To support administrative staff to develop their signposting skills, to ensure patients are directed to the most appropriate service
- To monitor and record contacts and outcomes within SystmOne & Emis
- To build networks with local community resources such as activities and services that may have an impact on mental health and wellbeing and support individuals to access these
- To develop multi-agency working across communities and voluntary and statutory organisations to improve health and address health inequality
Job description
Job responsibilities
The role will require managing and prioritising your own caseload, in accordance with the needs, priorities and any urgent support required by individuals on the caseload. It is essential that you understand when it is appropriate or necessary to refer patients back to other health professionals/agencies. Recognising when a patients needs are beyond the scope of the Link Worker role e.g., when there is a mental health need requiring a qualified practitioner.
You will be a key link between our PCN services and our practice team, and referrals could include supporting patients to access the most appropriate service within our PCN as well as externally.
MAIN TASKS
- To promote the service within GP practices, developing close working relationships with the teams within practices and the Primary Care Network
- To triage patients effectively and help to manage waiting lists
- To appropriately risk assess patients to minimise harm and identify harm reduction where this is needed
- To complete referrals and signpost to specialist support quickly and effectively where necessary
- To provide short term interventions up to 8 weeks of support
- Top understand, have experience in and be able to support patients with the areas across our assessment tool which covers, housing, finances, emotional well-being, social connections and isolation,
- To enable patients to manage their own mental & emotional health by using coping strategies and challenging unhelpful behaviour patterns, employment & volunteering and keeping healthy
- To develop collaborative action plans with individuals which promote choice and complement any medical treatment or advice
- To identify any barriers to people accessing services and activities and work with individuals to overcome these
- To work with other teams across the PCN to provide wide range of support
- To follow, understand and implement safeguarding procedure
- To use a range of techniques and interventions to support people, including those with long term conditions, to self-manage their health and encourage behavioural and lifestyle change
- To provide short term interventions to individuals to sustain them while waiting to access appropriate specialist provision
- To facilitate access to recommended community-based interventions and programmes of activity that benefit health and wellbeing
- To support administrative staff to develop their signposting skills, to ensure patients are directed to the most appropriate service
- To monitor and record contacts and outcomes within SystmOne & Emis
- To build networks with local community resources such as activities and services that may have an impact on mental health and wellbeing and support individuals to access these
- To develop multi-agency working across communities and voluntary and statutory organisations to improve health and address health inequality
Person Specification
Experience
Desirable
- - Experience of working with people with complex needs
- - Experience of completing assessments and patient centred action planning
- - Experience of completing risk assessments
- - Experience of using SystmOne and/or EMIS
Qualifications
Essential
- excellent listening and communication skills
- experience of working with people with a variety of barriers to accessing services; e.g. mental health, learning disabilities, physical health, language and communication barriers
- - Empathy
- - Emotional resilience
- - To be non judgmental
- - Willingness to work as part of team
- - Good IT and record keeping skills
- - Willingness to undertake training and develop skills
- - Ability to manage own case load
Person Specification
Experience
Desirable
- - Experience of working with people with complex needs
- - Experience of completing assessments and patient centred action planning
- - Experience of completing risk assessments
- - Experience of using SystmOne and/or EMIS
Qualifications
Essential
- excellent listening and communication skills
- experience of working with people with a variety of barriers to accessing services; e.g. mental health, learning disabilities, physical health, language and communication barriers
- - Empathy
- - Emotional resilience
- - To be non judgmental
- - Willingness to work as part of team
- - Good IT and record keeping skills
- - Willingness to undertake training and develop skills
- - Ability to manage own case load
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.
