Social Prescribing Link Worker

Job description

Job responsibilities

The purpose of the role:

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 and take a holistic approach, connecting people to community groups and statutory services for practical and emotional support. With link workers supporting existing groups to be accessible and sustainable.

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 peoples 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 wellbeing.

Main duties and responsibilities:

Take referrals from our clinical teams, providing telephone consultations with patients (and possibly carers etc) and occasional community-based appointments. i.e. housebound patients, community service events.

Monitor referrals and assess appropriateness for the Social Prescribing Service.

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.

Make contact with new referrals, ensuring they have been provided information about the social prescribing service and provide additional information when requested.

Develop relationships by giving people time and focus on 'what matters to me'. Taking holistic approach, based on persons priorities and wider determinants of health.

Signposting patients to support in the local community and undertaking onward referrals where appropriate.

Provide personalised support to individuals, their families and carers to take control of their wellbeing, live independently and improve their health outcomes. Supporting them with issues such as debt, housing, employment, loneliness and caring responsibilities.

Liaise and communicate with Patients, Carers, Advocates, Health and Social Care professionals, voluntary sector and stakeholders.

Professional development:

• Continual personal and professional development, taking an active role in reviewing and developing the post.

• Undertake relevant training as required. Continually update own knowledge and skills within the job role.

• Engage in developing professional relationships with the wider team.

• Attend supervision, annual appraisals and team meetings.

• Demonstrate effective, professional and respectful communication with patients and staff.

Adhere to organisational policies and procedures including confidentiality, professional boundaries, lone working, safeguarding and information governance.

Disclosure and barring service check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (exceptional order) 1975. As such, it will be necessary for a disclosure submission to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check previous criminal convictions.

Person Specification

Experience

Essential

• Completed the HCA Care Certificate module

Desirable

• Experience of working within a community, social care or voluntary sector
• Good working knowledge of voluntary and community services across Sheffield
• Experience of working within a Primary Care setting

Qualifications

Essential

• GCSE Grades A to C in English

Desirable

• Has completed the NHS England and online learning programme 77 accessed via the Personalised Care Institute website
• Is enrolled in, undertaking or qualified from appropriate training as outlined by the Personalised Care Institute Core Curriculum and social prescribing link worker competency framework

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

Sloan Medical Centre

Address

Sloan Medical Centre

2 Little London Road

Sheffield

S8 0YH

Employer's website

https://www.sloanmedicalcentre.co.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)