Primary Care Network Social Prescriber (Link Worker)

Job description

Job responsibilities

The core responsibilities of the PCN social prescribing link worker (SPLW) are as follows. There may be on occasion, a requirement to carry out other tasks. This will be dependent upon factors such as workload and staffing levels:

a. To take referrals from a wide range of agencies, working with GP practices within primary care networks, pharmacies, multi-disciplinary teams, hospital discharge teams, allied health professionals, fire service, police, job centres, social care services, housing associations, and voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations [this list is not exhaustive]

b. To provide personalised support to individuals, their families and carers to take control of their wellbeing, live independently and improve their health outcomes

c. To develop trusting relationships by giving people time and focus on ‘what matters to me’

d. To manage and prioritise your own caseload in accordance with the needs, priorities and any urgent support required by individuals on the caseload

e. To have a strong awareness and understanding of when it is appropriate or necessary to refer people back to other health professionals or agencies, when what the person needs is beyond the scope of this SPLW role

f. To work as part of a multi-disciplinary team in a patient facing role using expert knowledge within the SPLW areas and to promote social prescribing and its role in self-management

g. To work together with all local partners to collectively ensure that local VCSE organisations and community groups are sustainable and that community assets are nurtured

h. To build relationships with key staff in GP practices within the local Primary Care Network (PCN), attending relevant meetings, becoming part of the wider network team, giving information and feedback on social prescribing

i. To ensure that social prescribing referral codes are inputted to EMIS system and that the person’s use of the NHS can be tracked, adhering to data protection legislation and data sharing agreements with the CCG

j. To liaise with the practices and, where practicable, to standardise the social prescribing process across the PCN

k. To 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

l. To provide referral agencies with regular updates about social prescribing, including training for their staff and how to access information to encourage appropriate referrals

m. To be proactive in encouraging self-referrals and connecting with all local communities, particularly those communities that statutory agencies may find hard to reach

n. To meet people on a one-to-one basis, making home visits where appropriate within organisations’ policies and procedures giving people time to tell their stories and focus on ‘what matters to me’ and building trust with the person, providing non-judgemental support, respecting diversity and lifestyle choices. The role requires working from a strength-based approach focusing on a person’s assets

o. To be a friendly source of information about wellbeing and prevention approaches

p. To help people identify the wider issues that impact on their health and well-being such as debt, poor housing, being unemployed, loneliness and caring responsibilities

q. To help people maintain or regain independence through living skills, adaptations, enablement approaches and simple safeguards

r. To work with individuals to co-produce a simple personalised support plan

s. Where people may be eligible for a personal health budget, to 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

t. To forge strong links with local VCSE organisations, community and neighbourhood level groups, utilising their networks and building on what’s already available

u. To work with commissioners and local partners to identify unmet needs within the community and gaps in community provision

v. To support local partners and commissioners to develop new groups and services where needed, through small grants for community groups, micro-commissioning and development support

w. To support in the delivery of enhanced services and other service requirements on behalf of the PCN

x. To deliver training, mentoring and guidance to other clinicians and staff on SPLW matters

y. To produce SPLW newsletters or bulletins on a quarterly basis

z. To support virtual and remote models of consultation and support including e-consultations, remote medication review and telehealth and telemedicine

aa. To participate in the management of patient complaints when requested to do so and participate in the identification of any necessary learning brought about through incidents and near-miss events

bb. To manage a caseload of potentially complex patients and to provide advice for the GP management on the more complex patients

cc. To review the latest guidance ensuring the practice conforms to NICE, CQC etc.

dd. To actively signpost patients to the correct healthcare professional

ee. To provide targeted support and proactive reviews for vulnerable, complex patients and those at risk of admission and re-admission to secondary care

ff. To seek regular feedback about the quality of service and impact of social prescribing on referral agencies

gg. To work with your line manager to undertake continual personal and professional development, taking an active part in reviewing and developing the roles and responsibilities

hh. To work with your line manager to access regular ‘clinical supervision’, to enable you to deal effectively with the difficult issues that people present

ii. To undertake all mandatory training and induction programmes

jj. To contribute to and embrace the spectrum of clinical governance

kk. To attend a formal appraisal with their manager at least every 12 months. Once a performance/training objective has been set, progress will be reviewed on a regular basis so that new objectives can be agreed

ll. To contribute to public health campaigns (e.g. flu clinics) through advice or direct care.

mm.To maintain a clean, tidy, effective working area at all times

Secondary Responsibilities

In addition to the primary responsibilities, the Social Prescribing Link Worker may be requested to:

a. Support delivery of QOF, incentive schemes, QIPP and other quality or cost effectiveness initiatives.

b. Undertake any tasks consistent with the level of the post and the scope of the role, ensuring that work is delivered in a timely and effective manner.

c. Duties may vary from time to time without changing the general character of the post or the level of responsibility.

Person Specification

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

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 working with the VCSE sector (in a paid or unpaid capacity), including with volunteers and small community groups
• Experience of partnership/collaborative working and of building relationships across a variety of organisations

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

Skills, Personal Qualities & Other Requirements

Essential

• Understanding of the wider determinants of health, including social, economic and environmental factors and their impact on communities
• Knowledge of community development approaches
• Clear, polite telephone manner
• Knowledge of IT systems, including ability to use word processing skills, emails and the internet to create simple plans and reports
• Knowledge of motivational coaching and interview skills
• Ability to work as a team member and autonomously. Additionally, the ability to work under pressure and to meet deadlines
• 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 use own initiative, discretion and sensitivity
• Ability to communicate complex and sensitive information effectively with people at all levels by telephone, email and face to face
• Ability to identify risk and assess/manage risk when working with individuals
• High levels of integrity and loyalty
• Polite and confident
• Able to work from an asset-based approach, building on existing community and personal assets
• Able to provide leadership and to finish work tasks
• Ability to maintain effective working relationships and to promote collaborative practice with all colleagues
• Commitment to collaborative working with all local agencies (including VCSE organisations and community groups). Able to work with others to reduce hierarchies and find creative solutions to community issues
• Demonstrate 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
• 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
• Other requirements
• Willingness to work flexible hours when required to meet work demands
• Disclosure Barring Service (DBS) check
• Access to own transport and ability to travel across the locality on a regular basis, including to visit people in their own home

Desirable

• Knowledge of the personalised care approach
• Knowledge of VCSE and community services in the locality

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

Desborough Surgery

Address

65 Desborough Avenue

High Wycombe

HP11 2SD

Employer's website

http://desborough.gpsurgery.net/ (Opens in a new tab)