Job responsibilities
Social Prescribing Link Worker Economic Trailblazer Pilot
Employer: The Counselling and Family Centre (on behalf of Trafford West Primary Care Network)
Contract: Fixed-term until 31 March 2026 (with the aim to secure funding beyond this date)
Hours: Full-time (37.5 hours per week)
Start Date: 1 October 2025
Location: Across Trafford West PCN, including Partington and surrounding areas
Purpose of the Role
Thanks to new funding from the Greater Manchester Economic Trailblazer programme, we have an exciting opportunity to launch a dedicated Social Prescribing role within Trafford West PCN.
This pilot role will deliver personalised, one-to-one social prescribing support to economically inactive patients aged 18+ who face barriers to entering employment, training, or education. The role will focus on disadvantaged groups, helping them build confidence, develop skills, and access the right resources to move closer to work or training opportunities.
By embedding this post within our primary care network, we aim to make a real difference in reducing economic inactivity locally. While this is a fixed-term role, our ambition is to demonstrate its value and secure funding to extend it beyond March 2026.
Management & Support
Employer: Counselling and Family Centre responsible for employment, HR, training, and supervision
Day-to-day management: Trafford West PCN responsible for service delivery and integration with PCN activities
Introduction
We are excited to announce a newly funded role through the Greater Manchester Economic Trailblazer programme. This is an excellent opportunity to join Trafford West Primary Care Network (PCN) as a Social Prescribing Link Worker with a specific focus on supporting adults who have been economically inactive for at least 6 months.
The role is designed to address the barriers that prevent people from moving into employment, training, or education including health, social, and practical challenges. You will work flexibly, offering personalised one-to-one support, and be embedded within the PCN team, giving you access to GP records and multidisciplinary support.
We are targeting groups that often face multiple disadvantages, including:
- People with diagnosed learning disabilities
- People with neurodivergent conditions (diagnosed or awaiting assessment)
- People with diagnosed mental health conditions
- Carers returning to work
This post will be based across Trafford West practices, with outreach in the community to meet people where it works best for them.
Main Tasks
- Work with adults referred from Trafford West PCN practices who have been out of work, education, or training for 6+ months
- Carry out holistic assessments to understand needs, strengths, and aspirations
- Connect people to community-based, person-centred support that helps them address barriers and move closer to work or training
- Liaise with partners across the VCFSE (Voluntary, Community, Faith and Social Enterprise) sector, employment services, and health teams
- Provide ongoing support, encouragement, and follow-up until individuals are ready to take their next steps
Key Objectives
- Reduce barriers to employment, training, and education
- Improve confidence and motivation through tailored support and goal setting
- Increase social connections and reduce isolation by linking people to community groups and volunteering opportunities
- Improve wellbeing by ensuring physical, mental, and social needs are met
- Encourage self-management and resilience so individuals can sustain progress over time
Key Areas of Responsibility
- Receive and process referrals from Trafford West PCN and other agreed sources
- Provide personalised, flexible support with no fixed time limits per client during this pilot
- Take a whole-person approach, considering the wider determinants of health and wellbeing
- Co-produce a personalised action plan with each individual
- Meet people in GP practices, community spaces, or at home, depending on preference and need
- Build positive, trusting, and non-judgemental relationships
- Act as a bridge between healthcare and community resources
- Promote safeguarding and follow safeguarding procedures for vulnerable adults
- Build strong relationships with GP practice staff, attending meetings and promoting social prescribing
- Record and monitor activity, outcomes, and case studies for evaluation purposes
- Work within data protection legislation and PCN data sharing agreements
- Maintain professional development through training and supervision
- Work flexibly, including occasional evenings or weekends, to meet client needs
Other Requirements
An enhanced DBS check will be required prior to starting the role.
Communication and Working Relationships
To work and communicate with families/carers, communities, community groups, voluntary and statutory agencies.
Special Working Conditions
Travel around the Trafford area, work in a variety of settings, occasional transporting of resources for events and work unsocial hours evenings and weekends
Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1994
Because of the nature of the work, this post is exempt from the provisions of Section 4(2) of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1994 (Exceptions) Order 1995. Applicants for posts are not entitled to withhold information about convictions which for other purposes are spent under the provisions of the Act and in the event of employment any failure to disclose such convictions could result in disciplinary action or dismissal. Any information given will be completely confidential and will be considered only in relation to an applicant of a position to which the order applies.
The post holder will comply with the organisations policies and procedures:
FURTHER AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY
Health and Safety/Risk Management
The post-holder must comply at all times with the Network Health and Safety policies, in particular by following agreed safe working procedures and reporting incidents using the organisations Incident Reporting System.
Information Governance
As an employee you will have access to information that is sensitive to either an individual or to the organisation and you are reminded that in accordance with the requirements of Information Governance, NHS Code of Confidentiality, Data Protection Act 1998 and also the terms and conditions in your contract of employment, you have a duty to process this information judiciously and lawfully; failure to do so may result in disciplinary action.
Performance Appraisal and Personal Development Planning
The network is committed to providing a high quality service through the effective management and development of its employees. Each employee receives an Annual Performance Appraisal and a Personal Development Plan.
Statutory and Mandatory Training
All required Statutory and Mandatory training must be completed within the first three months of staff start date and refresher training must also be undertaken on a regular basis and in accordance with agreed policy.
Safeguarding Children and Vulnerable Adults
The network is committed to safeguarding children, young people and vulnerable adults within its care. As an employee you are accountable to ensure that you know how to respond when you are concerned for the safety of a child, young person or vulnerable adult.
Infection Prevention and Control
All employees are expected to follow consistently high standards in the prevention and control of infection, especially with reference to hand hygiene, adherence to dress/uniform code and for clinical staff and all procedures involving aseptic technique.
Special Working Conditions
The post-holder is required to travel independently between practice sites and to attend meetings at other locations as required.
Job Description Agreement
This job description is intended to provide an outline of the key tasks and responsibilities only. There may be other duties required of the post-holder commensurate with the position. This description will be open to regular review and may be amended to take into account development within the network. All members of staff should be prepared to take on additional duties or relinquish existing duties in order to maintain the efficient running of the network.