Social Prescribing Link Worker
This job is now closed
Job summary
General Practice Alliance (GPA) is a Federation of twenty-one GP practices in Northampton. We employ a social prescribing team covering three Primary Care Networks (PCNs), currently consisting of eight Social Prescribers, led by our Senior SPLW. We are excited to be advertising for a new Social Prescriber to join Grand Union PCN.
We are passionate about social prescribing and supporting and developing our staff, we work as a team and meet to share expertise and learning regularly. We see Social Prescribers as an essential and integral part of practice teams.
Main duties of the job
We are looking for individuals who are enthusiastic, self-motivated, empathetic, and strong communicators who are good at problem solving to join our team. In return we offer an attractive employment package, including pension and competitive annual leave. You will be part of a growing team, with supportive and friendly social prescribers and practice teams.
Further details can be found in the Job Description and Person Specification.
We would welcome the opportunity to tell you more about the role, please email to arrange a phone or video call, for more information and an informal chat.
sarah.deeks1@nhs.net, 07849 847564.
Please apply using the standard NHS Jobs application form. The closing date for applications is Sunday 12th September 2021. Interviews will take place on Thursday 16th September 2021.
About us
We are a forward thinking organisation, with Primary Care transformation at the forefront.
Our Values
INSPIRE: an open culture which is respectful and honest, leading by example and encouraging all people to have a voice.
DEVELOP: develop resilience in people, communities, and sustainable services.
INNOVATE: support service transformation seeking innovative solutions to challenges.
We offer a generous staff pension and 25 days' holiday, as well as access to an Employee Assistance Programme for all staff.
Details
Date posted
26 August 2021
Pay scheme
Other
Salary
£20,000 to £22,000 a year
Contract
Permanent
Working pattern
Full-time
Reference number
A1341-21-0463
Job locations
129 Hazeldene Road
Northampton
Northamptonshire
NN2 7PB
Job description
Job responsibilities
Job Summary
Primary Care Networks have been established to bring together resources from a range of different organisations to deliver holistic integrated health, social and care support for their local population.
As a Social Prescribing Link Worker (SPLW), you will work as a key part of the primary care network (PCN) multidisciplinary team. Social prescribing empowers people to take control of their health and wellbeing through referral to non-medical link workers who give time to focus on what matters to me. They take a holistic approach, connecting people to community groups and statutory services for practical and emotional support. SPLWs support existing groups to be accessible and sustainable and work collaboratively with all local partners.
Social prescribing can help to strengthen community resilience and personal resilience, and reduces health inequalities. These roles help address the wider determinants of health, such as debt, poor housing and physical inactivity. Increasing peoples active involvement, supporting people with long-term conditions (including support for mental health), and those who are lonely or isolated can have a positive effect on wellbeing.
Primary Duties and Areas of Responsibility
Take referrals from and make referrals to a wide range of agencies within primary care networks,
Co-produce personalised support plans with individuals, their families and carers to take control of their wellbeing, live independently and improve their health outcomes. Developing trusting relationships by giving people time and focus on what matters to me.
Take a holistic approach, based on the persons priorities and the wider determinants of health.
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/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.
Key Tasks
Referrals
Be proactive in developing strong links with all local agencies to encourage referrals, recognising what they need to be confident in the service to make appropriate referrals.
Work in partnership with all local agencies to raise awareness of social prescribing and how partnership working can reduce pressure on statutory services, improve health outcomes and enable a holistic approach to care.
Provide referral agencies with regular updates about social prescribing, including training for their staff and how to access information to encourage appropriate referrals.
Seek regular feedback about the quality of service and impact of social prescribing on referral agencies.
Be proactive in encouraging self-referrals and connecting with all local communities, particularly those communities that statutory agencies may find hard to reach.
Provide personalised support
Meet people on a one-to-one basis, making home visits where appropriate within organisations policies and procedures. Give people time to tell their stories and focus on what matters to me.
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.
Work with individuals to co-produce a simple personalised support plan based on the persons priorities, interests, values and motivations including what they can expect from the groups, activities and services they are being connected to and what the person can do for themselves to improve their health and wellbeing.
Where appropriate, physically introduce people to community groups, activities and statutory services, ensuring they are comfortable. Follow up to ensure they are happy, able to engage, included and receiving good support.
Where people may be eligible for a personal health budget, help them to explore this option as a way of providing funded, personalised support to be independent, including helping people to gain skills for meaningful employment, where appropriate.
Support community groups and VCSE organisations to receive referrals
Forge strong links with local VCSE organisations, community and neighbourhood level groups, utilising their networks and building on whats already available to create a map or menu of community groups and assets. Use these opportunities to promote micro-commissioning or small grants if available.
Develop supportive relationships with local VCSE organisations, community groups and statutory services, to make timely, appropriate and supported referrals for the person being introduced.
Ensure that local community groups and VCSE organisations being referred to have basic procedures in place for ensuring that vulnerable individuals are safe and, where there are safeguarding concerns, work with all partners to deal appropriately with issues. Where such policies and procedures are not in place, support groups to work towards this standard before referrals are made to them.
Check that community groups and VCSE organisations meet in insured premises and that health and safety requirements are in place. Where such policies and procedures are not in place, support groups to work towards this standard before referrals are made to them.
Support local groups to act in accordance with information governance policies and procedures, ensuring compliance with GDPR.
Work collectively with all local partners to ensure community groups are strong and sustainable
Work with GPs, PCNs and wider Multi-Disciplinary teams as required.
Work with commissioners and local partners to identify unmet needs within the community and gaps in community provision and support development of new groups and services where needed, through small grants for community groups, micro-commissioning and development support.
Encourage people who have been connected to community support through social prescribing to volunteer and give their time freely to others, in order to build their skills and confidence, and strengthen community resilience.
Develop a team of volunteers within your service to provide buddying support for people, starting new groups and finding creative community solutions to local issues.
Encourage people, their families and carers to provide peer support and to do things together, such as setting up new community groups or volunteering.
Provide a regular confidence survey to community groups receiving referrals, to ensure that they are strong, sustained and have the support they need to be part of social prescribing.
Data capture
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.
Encourage people, their families and carers to provide feedback and to share their stories about the impact of social prescribing on their lives.
Support referral agencies to provide appropriate information about the person they are referring. Use the case management system to track the persons progress. Provide appropriate feedback to referral agencies about the people they referred.
Work closely with GP practices within the PCN to ensure that social prescribing referral codes are inputted to EMIS/System One and that the persons use of the NHS can be tracked, adhering to data protection legislation and data sharing agreements with the clinical commissioning group (CCG).
Health and Safety/Risk Management
- The post-holder must comply at all times with GPAs Health and Safety policies, in particular by following agreed safe working procedures and reporting incidents using the organisations Incident Reporting System
- The post-holder will comply with the Data Protection Act (1984) and the Access to Health Records Act (1990).
Equality and Diversity
- The post-holder must co-operate with all policies and procedures designed to ensure equality of employment. Co-workers, patients and visitors must be treated equally irrespective of gender, ethnic origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, religion etc.
Respect for Patient Confidentiality
- This post has a requirement for confidentiality. If you are required to obtain, process and/or use information held electronically you should do 'it in a fair and lawful way. You should hold data only for the specific registered purpose and not use or disclose it in any way incompatible with such a purpose. Data must only be disclosed to authorised persons or organisations as instructed. Breaches of confidence in relation to data will result in disciplinary action which may involve dismissal.
- You must not at any time use the personal data held by the organisation for any purpose other than practice business and this must not be disclosed to a third party. If you are in any doubt regarding your responsibilities under the Data Protection Act 2018 you must contact your line manager or appropriate senior lead at the time.
Corporate Responsibilities
Please refer to downloaded Job Description.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Job Summary
Primary Care Networks have been established to bring together resources from a range of different organisations to deliver holistic integrated health, social and care support for their local population.
As a Social Prescribing Link Worker (SPLW), you will work as a key part of the primary care network (PCN) multidisciplinary team. Social prescribing empowers people to take control of their health and wellbeing through referral to non-medical link workers who give time to focus on what matters to me. They take a holistic approach, connecting people to community groups and statutory services for practical and emotional support. SPLWs support existing groups to be accessible and sustainable and work collaboratively with all local partners.
Social prescribing can help to strengthen community resilience and personal resilience, and reduces health inequalities. These roles help address the wider determinants of health, such as debt, poor housing and physical inactivity. Increasing peoples active involvement, supporting people with long-term conditions (including support for mental health), and those who are lonely or isolated can have a positive effect on wellbeing.
Primary Duties and Areas of Responsibility
Take referrals from and make referrals to a wide range of agencies within primary care networks,
Co-produce personalised support plans with individuals, their families and carers to take control of their wellbeing, live independently and improve their health outcomes. Developing trusting relationships by giving people time and focus on what matters to me.
Take a holistic approach, based on the persons priorities and the wider determinants of health.
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/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.
Key Tasks
Referrals
Be proactive in developing strong links with all local agencies to encourage referrals, recognising what they need to be confident in the service to make appropriate referrals.
Work in partnership with all local agencies to raise awareness of social prescribing and how partnership working can reduce pressure on statutory services, improve health outcomes and enable a holistic approach to care.
Provide referral agencies with regular updates about social prescribing, including training for their staff and how to access information to encourage appropriate referrals.
Seek regular feedback about the quality of service and impact of social prescribing on referral agencies.
Be proactive in encouraging self-referrals and connecting with all local communities, particularly those communities that statutory agencies may find hard to reach.
Provide personalised support
Meet people on a one-to-one basis, making home visits where appropriate within organisations policies and procedures. Give people time to tell their stories and focus on what matters to me.
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.
Work with individuals to co-produce a simple personalised support plan based on the persons priorities, interests, values and motivations including what they can expect from the groups, activities and services they are being connected to and what the person can do for themselves to improve their health and wellbeing.
Where appropriate, physically introduce people to community groups, activities and statutory services, ensuring they are comfortable. Follow up to ensure they are happy, able to engage, included and receiving good support.
Where people may be eligible for a personal health budget, help them to explore this option as a way of providing funded, personalised support to be independent, including helping people to gain skills for meaningful employment, where appropriate.
Support community groups and VCSE organisations to receive referrals
Forge strong links with local VCSE organisations, community and neighbourhood level groups, utilising their networks and building on whats already available to create a map or menu of community groups and assets. Use these opportunities to promote micro-commissioning or small grants if available.
Develop supportive relationships with local VCSE organisations, community groups and statutory services, to make timely, appropriate and supported referrals for the person being introduced.
Ensure that local community groups and VCSE organisations being referred to have basic procedures in place for ensuring that vulnerable individuals are safe and, where there are safeguarding concerns, work with all partners to deal appropriately with issues. Where such policies and procedures are not in place, support groups to work towards this standard before referrals are made to them.
Check that community groups and VCSE organisations meet in insured premises and that health and safety requirements are in place. Where such policies and procedures are not in place, support groups to work towards this standard before referrals are made to them.
Support local groups to act in accordance with information governance policies and procedures, ensuring compliance with GDPR.
Work collectively with all local partners to ensure community groups are strong and sustainable
Work with GPs, PCNs and wider Multi-Disciplinary teams as required.
Work with commissioners and local partners to identify unmet needs within the community and gaps in community provision and support development of new groups and services where needed, through small grants for community groups, micro-commissioning and development support.
Encourage people who have been connected to community support through social prescribing to volunteer and give their time freely to others, in order to build their skills and confidence, and strengthen community resilience.
Develop a team of volunteers within your service to provide buddying support for people, starting new groups and finding creative community solutions to local issues.
Encourage people, their families and carers to provide peer support and to do things together, such as setting up new community groups or volunteering.
Provide a regular confidence survey to community groups receiving referrals, to ensure that they are strong, sustained and have the support they need to be part of social prescribing.
Data capture
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.
Encourage people, their families and carers to provide feedback and to share their stories about the impact of social prescribing on their lives.
Support referral agencies to provide appropriate information about the person they are referring. Use the case management system to track the persons progress. Provide appropriate feedback to referral agencies about the people they referred.
Work closely with GP practices within the PCN to ensure that social prescribing referral codes are inputted to EMIS/System One and that the persons use of the NHS can be tracked, adhering to data protection legislation and data sharing agreements with the clinical commissioning group (CCG).
Health and Safety/Risk Management
- The post-holder must comply at all times with GPAs Health and Safety policies, in particular by following agreed safe working procedures and reporting incidents using the organisations Incident Reporting System
- The post-holder will comply with the Data Protection Act (1984) and the Access to Health Records Act (1990).
Equality and Diversity
- The post-holder must co-operate with all policies and procedures designed to ensure equality of employment. Co-workers, patients and visitors must be treated equally irrespective of gender, ethnic origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, religion etc.
Respect for Patient Confidentiality
- This post has a requirement for confidentiality. If you are required to obtain, process and/or use information held electronically you should do 'it in a fair and lawful way. You should hold data only for the specific registered purpose and not use or disclose it in any way incompatible with such a purpose. Data must only be disclosed to authorised persons or organisations as instructed. Breaches of confidence in relation to data will result in disciplinary action which may involve dismissal.
- You must not at any time use the personal data held by the organisation for any purpose other than practice business and this must not be disclosed to a third party. If you are in any doubt regarding your responsibilities under the Data Protection Act 2018 you must contact your line manager or appropriate senior lead at the time.
Corporate Responsibilities
Please refer to downloaded Job Description.
Person Specification
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).
- Experience of working with the VCSE sector (in a paid or unpaid capacity), including with volunteers and small community groups.
Desirable
- Experience of supporting people with their mental health, either in a paid, unpaid or informal capacity.
- 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.
Personal Qualities
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.
- Ability to maintain effective working relationships and to promote collaborative practice with all colleagues.
- 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.
- Understanding of the needs of small volunteer-led community groups and ability to support their development.
- Knowledge of and ability to work to policies and procedures, including confidentiality, safeguarding, lone working, information governance, and health and safety.
Qualifications
Essential
- NVQ Level 3, Advanced level or equivalent qualifications or working towards.
- Demonstrable commitment to professional and personal development.
Desirable
- Training in motivational coaching and interviewing or equivalent experience.
Skills and Knowledge
Essential
- Able to prioritise and manage own workload.
- Knowledge of IT systems, including ability to use word processing skills, emails and the internet.
Desirable
- 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 community development approaches.
- Knowledge of SystmOne clinical system.
- 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.
Desirable
- Access to own transport and ability to travel across the locality on a regular basis, including to visit people in their own homes.
Person Specification
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).
- Experience of working with the VCSE sector (in a paid or unpaid capacity), including with volunteers and small community groups.
Desirable
- Experience of supporting people with their mental health, either in a paid, unpaid or informal capacity.
- 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.
Personal Qualities
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.
- Ability to maintain effective working relationships and to promote collaborative practice with all colleagues.
- 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.
- Understanding of the needs of small volunteer-led community groups and ability to support their development.
- Knowledge of and ability to work to policies and procedures, including confidentiality, safeguarding, lone working, information governance, and health and safety.
Qualifications
Essential
- NVQ Level 3, Advanced level or equivalent qualifications or working towards.
- Demonstrable commitment to professional and personal development.
Desirable
- Training in motivational coaching and interviewing or equivalent experience.
Skills and Knowledge
Essential
- Able to prioritise and manage own workload.
- Knowledge of IT systems, including ability to use word processing skills, emails and the internet.
Desirable
- 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 community development approaches.
- Knowledge of SystmOne clinical system.
- 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.
Desirable
- 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
General Practice Alliance Ltd
Address
129 Hazeldene Road
Northampton
Northamptonshire
NN2 7PB
Employer's website
Employer details
Employer name
General Practice Alliance Ltd
Address
129 Hazeldene Road
Northampton
Northamptonshire
NN2 7PB
Employer's website
Employer contact details
For questions about the job, contact:
Details
Date posted
26 August 2021
Pay scheme
Other
Salary
£20,000 to £22,000 a year
Contract
Permanent
Working pattern
Full-time
Reference number
A1341-21-0463
Job locations
129 Hazeldene Road
Northampton
Northamptonshire
NN2 7PB
Supporting documents
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