Job summary
A social prescriber link worker (SPLW) works alongside a team within
general practice and within the Primary Care Network (PCN) and empowers people
to take control of their health and well-being.
We have a permanent vacancy for a Social Prescriber to join our
supportive, busy and friendly team. The successful candidate will play an
important role in complementing our Health and Wellbeing Coaches and other
members of the PCN multi-disciplinary team.
Main duties of the job
This role helps people to work on their wider health and wellbeing,
specifically addressing health access and outcomes and wider determinants of
their health, such as debt, poor housing, and physical inactivity, as well as
other lifestyle issues and low-level mental health concerns by increasing
peoples active involvement with their local communities. This approach
particularly helps people with long term conditions (including support for
mental health), people who are lonely or isolated, or who have complex social
needs which affect their wellbeing.
You must be a good listener, have time for people and be committed to
supporting local communities to care for each other. You should have experience
of working positively with people facing complex social and emotional
challenges. You will have great interpersonal skills in supporting people,
community groups and local organisations.
The postholder will work with a diverse range of people from different
cultural and social backgrounds. The ability to work confidently and
effectively in a diverse, and sometimes challenging environment is essential.
We are committed to having a workforce in which people from diverse backgrounds
are supported and empowered to work with local communities to improve health
access and outcomes for all and provide culturally appropriate and responsive
public services.
About us
eQuality PCN is a forward-thinking Primary Care Network comprising 5
practices across the Luton area, providing services for over 50,000 patients.
Our aim is to provide exemplary patient care, finding innovative solutions in
general practice to deliver the best care we can to our patients.
The 5 practices comprise: Blenheim Medical Centre, Larkside Practice,
The Ashcroft Practice, Stopsley Village Practice and Bute House Practice.
The successful candidate must be available to work across all sites
within the PCN and also be prepared to work at community based events within the Luton area.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Social prescribing can help to strengthen community resilience and
personal resilience and reduces health inequalities by addressing the wider
determinants of health, such as debt, poor housing and physical inactivity, by
increasing people's active involvement with their local communities. It
particularly works for people with long-term conditions (including support for
mental health), for people who are lonely or isolated or have complex social
needs which affect their well-being.
As a Social Prescriber Link Worker, you will empower people to take
control of their health and well-being through identifying the wider issues
that impact on their health and wellbeing, such as debt, poor housing, being
unemployed, loneliness and caring responsibilities. You will process referrals
to other non-medical link workers and connecting people to community groups and
statutory services for practical and emotional support.
Principal Accountabilities
- Take referrals from GP
practices within our PCN, providing digital or practice-based consultations
with patients (and possibly carers etc) and occasional community-based
appointments. i.e. home visits, and community service events.
- Provide personalised support
to individuals, their families and carers to take control of their well-being,
live independently and improve their health outcomes.
- Develop relationships by
giving people time to focus on what matters to them. Take a holistic approach,
based on the person's priorities and the wider determinants of health.
- Co-produce a personalised
support plan to improve health and well-being, introducing or reconnecting
people to community groups and statutory services.
- Liaise and communicate with
patients, carers, advocates, health and social care professionals, voluntary
sectors and stakeholders involved in the well-being of your caseload and
communities.
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 vital that you have a strong awareness and
understanding of when it is appropriate or necessary to refer people back to
other health professionals 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.
This Job Description describes the main purpose and key responsibilities
and accountabilities of the post. The post holder may be required to undertake
any additional duties or responsibilities as may reasonably be required.
To reflect changing needs and priorities, some elements of this post may
be subject to change and where required, any appropriate communication or
consultation with the post holder will be undertaken prior to making any
changes.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Social prescribing can help to strengthen community resilience and
personal resilience and reduces health inequalities by addressing the wider
determinants of health, such as debt, poor housing and physical inactivity, by
increasing people's active involvement with their local communities. It
particularly works for people with long-term conditions (including support for
mental health), for people who are lonely or isolated or have complex social
needs which affect their well-being.
As a Social Prescriber Link Worker, you will empower people to take
control of their health and well-being through identifying the wider issues
that impact on their health and wellbeing, such as debt, poor housing, being
unemployed, loneliness and caring responsibilities. You will process referrals
to other non-medical link workers and connecting people to community groups and
statutory services for practical and emotional support.
Principal Accountabilities
- Take referrals from GP
practices within our PCN, providing digital or practice-based consultations
with patients (and possibly carers etc) and occasional community-based
appointments. i.e. home visits, and community service events.
- Provide personalised support
to individuals, their families and carers to take control of their well-being,
live independently and improve their health outcomes.
- Develop relationships by
giving people time to focus on what matters to them. Take a holistic approach,
based on the person's priorities and the wider determinants of health.
- Co-produce a personalised
support plan to improve health and well-being, introducing or reconnecting
people to community groups and statutory services.
- Liaise and communicate with
patients, carers, advocates, health and social care professionals, voluntary
sectors and stakeholders involved in the well-being of your caseload and
communities.
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 vital that you have a strong awareness and
understanding of when it is appropriate or necessary to refer people back to
other health professionals 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.
This Job Description describes the main purpose and key responsibilities
and accountabilities of the post. The post holder may be required to undertake
any additional duties or responsibilities as may reasonably be required.
To reflect changing needs and priorities, some elements of this post may
be subject to change and where required, any appropriate communication or
consultation with the post holder will be undertaken prior to making any
changes.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- A good standard of general education, including English and Maths to GCSE level A* to C
- Computer literate with basic competence with MS Office applications (Outlook, Word, Excel, MS Teams etc)
Desirable
- Training in motivational coaching and interviewing or equivalent experience
- NVQ Level 3, Advanced level or equivalent qualifications or working towards
Experience
Essential
- Experience working directly in a community development context, adult health and social care, learning support or public health/health improvement (including unpaid work)
- Experience in supporting people, their families and carers in a related role (including unpaid work)
- Experience in supporting people with their mental health, either in a paid, unpaid or informal capacity
Desirable
- Experience with social prescribing models.
- Knowledge of GP clinical IT systems (Systm1)
- Experience in data collection and using tools to measure the impact - of services
- Experience in partnership/collaborative working and building relationships across a variety of organisations
- Experience working in a multi-disciplinary team.
- Experience working with voluntary organisations including volunteers.
- Experience in producing individual care plans.
- Experience in managing a caseload.
- Experience in supporting people in a paid or unpaid capacity.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- A good standard of general education, including English and Maths to GCSE level A* to C
- Computer literate with basic competence with MS Office applications (Outlook, Word, Excel, MS Teams etc)
Desirable
- Training in motivational coaching and interviewing or equivalent experience
- NVQ Level 3, Advanced level or equivalent qualifications or working towards
Experience
Essential
- Experience working directly in a community development context, adult health and social care, learning support or public health/health improvement (including unpaid work)
- Experience in supporting people, their families and carers in a related role (including unpaid work)
- Experience in supporting people with their mental health, either in a paid, unpaid or informal capacity
Desirable
- Experience with social prescribing models.
- Knowledge of GP clinical IT systems (Systm1)
- Experience in data collection and using tools to measure the impact - of services
- Experience in partnership/collaborative working and building relationships across a variety of organisations
- Experience working in a multi-disciplinary team.
- Experience working with voluntary organisations including volunteers.
- Experience in producing individual care plans.
- Experience in managing a caseload.
- Experience in supporting people in a paid or unpaid capacity.
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.
