Social Prescribing Link Worker - Children and Young People

Job description

Job responsibilities

Social Prescribing is a mechanism for linking patients with non-medical sources of support within their community. There is strong evidence that health outcomes are socially determined and that the conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work and grow old influence their health. Social Prescribing attempts to address the social determinants of ill health and recent years have seen a growth in the number of Social Prescribing schemes being set up around the UK.

The role of social prescribers is non-judgemental, empowering people to take control of their own health and wellbeing with a holistic approach focusing on What matters to me, rather than What is the matter.

The role covers a range of non-clinical issues, connecting people to community groups and statutory services for practical and emotional support, addressing the wider determinants of health, such as debt, poor housing and physical inactivity, by increasing peoples active involvement with their local communities. Social prescribers proactively identify people with long-term conditions (including support for mental health), people who are lonely or isolated, or those with complex social needs that affect their wellbeing.

The post holder will respond to the unmet needs of young people in the locality via the implementation of a children and young persons social prescribing model. The Social Prescriber will connect children and young people into a broad range of services and interventions in their local area in a timely and effective way, led by the wants and needs of the young person themselves.

Social Prescribers work collaboratively with a wide range of people including other social prescribing team members, health professionals, multi-agency teams, community support groups and patients.

Key Responsibilities

Act as the point of contact for children and young people accessing the service arranging meetings by phone or in person as required, including families and carers when appropriate.

Support each individual to access services or activities relevant to their needs

Build and maintain a directory of services, ensuring that groups and services included are compliant with all legislative and safety regulations in order to safeguard clients and their wellbeing

Coordinate the referral process from start to finish, communication regularly with all stakeholders

Record monitoring data systematically, produce timely reports and contribute to the overall evaluation of the service

Attend reflective practice and/or clinical supervision, team meetings and line management meetings as required

Co-produce a personalised support plan and goals to improve health and wellbeing, introducing or reconnecting people to community groups and statutory services

Work with Social Prescribing Team to manage and prioritise caseloads, in accordance with the needs, priorities and any urgent support required by the PCN

Work as part of a Multidisciplinary Team, attending regular PCN team, local authority and VCSE meetings to discuss complex care cases, supporting colleagues to deliver excellent care at the appropriate time.

Promote Social Prescribing, its role in self-management, and the wider determinants of health

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

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

Create and maintain referral routes into the scheme via a wide range of frontline professionals in the health, education, youth justice, social care and community development sectors

Give young people a voice, ensuring they influence operational and strategic direction of the service

Use all methods of communication, including digital media to promote and inform the service

Key point of contact for all non-clinical issues within the PCN

Develop simple reference material about Social Prescribing for practices, health champions and patients when requested by the Lead Social Prescriber

General tasks

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

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 the GP clinical system and that the persons progress is accessible to relevant healthcare professionals, adhering to data protection legislation and data sharing agreements

Miscellaneous

Work as part of the team to seek feedback, continually improve the service and contribute to service planning

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

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

Person Specification

Experience

Essential

• Experience of working directly in a community development context, health and social care, learning support or public health/health improvement (including unpaid work)
• Experience of working face to face with young people
• Experience of partnership/collaborative working and of building relationships across a variety of organisations

Desirable

• Experience of working within a social prescribing or equivalent context
• Experience of working with the VCSE sector (in a paid or unpaid capacity), including with volunteers and small community groups
• Experience of project development

Personal Qualities and Attributes

Essential

• Ability to listen, empathise with people and provide person-centred support in a non-judgemental way
• Ability to get along with people from all backgrounds and communities, respecting lifestyles and diversity
• Commitment to reduce health inequalities and proactively working to reach people from all communities reducing hierarchies and find creative solutions to community issues
• Ability 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
• Ability 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
• Commitment to collaborative working with all local agencies (including VCSE organisations and community groups).
• Capacity to organise, plan and prioritise on own initiative, including when under pressure and meeting deadlines
• Knowledge of and ability to work to policies and procedures
• Ability to work flexibly and enthusiastically within a team or on own initiative
• Knowledge of and ability to work to policies and procedures

Desirable

• Have a strong awareness and understanding of when it is appropriate or necessary to refer people to other health professionals/agencies e.g. when there is a mental health need requiring a qualified practitioner
• Understanding of the needs of small volunteer-led community groups and ability to support their development
• Aware of NHS policies of confidentiality, safeguarding, lone working, information governance, and health and safety

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
• Full UK driving license, access to own transport and ability to travel across the network on a regular basis, including to visit people in their own homes

Qualifications

Essential

• GCSE in English and Maths (A-C), or equivalent
• Youth Work, Social Work, Health or equivalent qualification at Level 3 or willingness to learn to level 3
• Demonstrable commitment to professional and personal development
• Ongoing commitment to learning in relevant areas such as safeguarding and related issues which may impact on young people such as education, housing, relationships and justice

Desirable

• Training in motivational coaching and interviewing or equivalent experience

Skills and Knowledge

Essential

• Flexible and creative interpersonal approach
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to manage workload effectively and manage case loads
• Child Protection and Vulnerable Adult Safeguarding issues and procedures
• Child development principles
• Knowledge of IT systems, including ability to use word processing skills, emails and the internet to create simple plans and reports
• A solid working knowledge of digital media
• Understanding of the wider determinants of health, including social, economic and environmental factors and their impact on communities

Desirable

• Knowledge of the personalised care approach
• Ways to promote Children and Young Peoples health and wellbeing
• Knowledge of community development approaches
• Knowledge of motivational coaching and interview skills
• Knowledge of VCSE and community services in the PCN

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

Jurassic Coast Primary Care Network

Address

West Allington

Bridport

Dorset

DT6 5BN

Employer's website

https://www.jurassiccoastpcn.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)