Job summary
This role is based in Skyward PCN Practices (St Georges Rd Surgery, Holbrooks Health Team, Cheylesmore Surgery and Edgwick Medical Centre), including some home working.
The role is 14.5 hours per week on Thursdays and Fridays.
The actual salary will be £9,621.55.
Age UK Coventry & Warwickshire are working in partnership with Primary Care Networks to provide and deliver Social Prescribing in Coventry. This is an excellent opportunity to become part of a team working closely with GPs offering social prescribing to people.
Social Prescribing enables GPs and other health care professionals to refer patients to a link worker who can work with the individual to connect them with services and activities in their local community and support them through the development of Personalised Care Plans.
Main duties of the job
This exciting role is well suited to someone who is enthusiastic and motivated, has experience of directly working one-to-one with clients, families and carers, to plan and help people to find and engage with meaningful support that's important to them.
You will have responsibility for managing a caseload, dealing with referrals, signposting or referring people to specialist services, preparing Personalised Care Plan, and connecting people with community services to sustain independent living, health and wellbeing
Your role involves working in busy GP Practices, with people who might be experiencing complex issues, so you will need good listening and communication skills, be able to build effective partnerships with a wide range of organisations and community groups, be able to manage a caseload, be organised and be proactive forming a self-supervising network with other Link Workers in Coventry primary care networks.
About us
We are a lively and growing local charity, aiming to promote and enhance the well-being and quality of life of all older people in Coventry and Warwickshire, to help make later life a fulfilling and enjoyable experience.
It's a great place to work if you really want to make a difference in people's lives.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The Social Prescriber will provide personalised support to patients, their families and carers, to take control of their health and wellbeing, live independently and improve their health access and outcomes. They will develop trusting relationships with these patients by giving them time and focus on what matters to me.
The Social Prescriber will take a holistic approach, based on the patients priorities and the wider determinants of health and take referrals from the PCN and a wide range of agencies such as pharmacies, hospital discharge teams, fire service, police, job centres, social care services, housing associations, and voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations (list not exhaustive).
The Social Prescriber will work with a diverse range of people and communities, to draw on and increase the strengths and capacities of local communities, enabling local VCSE organisations and community groups (including faith groups) to receive social prescribing referrals, as well as sharing knowledge of Social Prescribing with other professionals.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The Social Prescriber will provide personalised support to patients, their families and carers, to take control of their health and wellbeing, live independently and improve their health access and outcomes. They will develop trusting relationships with these patients by giving them time and focus on what matters to me.
The Social Prescriber will take a holistic approach, based on the patients priorities and the wider determinants of health and take referrals from the PCN and a wide range of agencies such as pharmacies, hospital discharge teams, fire service, police, job centres, social care services, housing associations, and voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations (list not exhaustive).
The Social Prescriber will work with a diverse range of people and communities, to draw on and increase the strengths and capacities of local communities, enabling local VCSE organisations and community groups (including faith groups) to receive social prescribing referrals, as well as sharing knowledge of Social Prescribing with other professionals.
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 supporting people with their mental health, either in a paid, unpaid or informal capacity . Experience of working with the VCSE sector (in a paid or unpaid capacity), including with volunteers and small community groups. Experience of data collection and providing monitoring information to assess the impact of services.
Desirable
- Experience of partnership/collaborative working and of building relationships across a variety of organisations . Management experience of a small team of staff.
Knowledge and Skills
Essential
- 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 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.
Desirable
- Knowledge of the personalised care approach. Knowledge of VCSE and community services in the locality.
Personal Qualities and Attributes
Essential
- Ability to listen, empathise with people and provide person-centred support in a non-judgmental 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 . 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. 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 . 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. Access to own transport and ability to travel across the locality on a regular basis, including to visit people in their own homes.
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.
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 supporting people with their mental health, either in a paid, unpaid or informal capacity . Experience of working with the VCSE sector (in a paid or unpaid capacity), including with volunteers and small community groups. Experience of data collection and providing monitoring information to assess the impact of services.
Desirable
- Experience of partnership/collaborative working and of building relationships across a variety of organisations . Management experience of a small team of staff.
Knowledge and Skills
Essential
- 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 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.
Desirable
- Knowledge of the personalised care approach. Knowledge of VCSE and community services in the locality.
Personal Qualities and Attributes
Essential
- Ability to listen, empathise with people and provide person-centred support in a non-judgmental 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 . 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. 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 . 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. Access to own transport and ability to travel across the locality on a regular basis, including to visit people in their own homes.
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.
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.
