PCN Social Prescribing Link Worker

• Meet people one-to-one to understand what matters to them and identify their needs and priorities
• Support people experiencing loneliness, social isolation and wider challenges affecting their health and wellbeing
• Connect people with community groups, activities, voluntary organisations and other support services
• Help people build confidence, independence and take greater control of their wellbeing
• Develop personalised care and support plans and provide follow-up support
• Build strong relationships with community organisations and local services
• Work collaboratively with GP practices and wider multidisciplinary teams
• Manage your own caseload and maintain accurate records

• Receive and manage referrals from GP practices, health and care professionals, community organisations, other agencies and individuals through self-referral.
• Manage and prioritise an appropriate caseload with support and supervision from the PCN.
• Meet individuals on a one-to-one basis, including home or community visits where appropriate, to understand what matters to them and identify their health and wellbeing priorities.
• Build supportive, non-judgemental relationships using a person-centred and strengths-based approach.
• Identify wider factors affecting health and wellbeing, including loneliness, housing, finances, employment and caring responsibilities.
• Work with individuals, families and carers to develop personalised care and support plans.
• Connect and, where appropriate, introduce individuals to suitable community groups, activities, voluntary organisations and statutory services.
• Provide follow-up support to encourage engagement, independence and improved health and wellbeing.
• Recognise concerns outside the scope of the role and make appropriate onward referrals or seek advice.
• Identify, report and escalate safeguarding concerns in accordance with PCN policies.

• Develop and maintain effective relationships with voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations, statutory services and other local agencies.
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of community services and support available to patients.
• Promote social prescribing across the PCN and wider community and encourage appropriate referrals.
• Attend relevant multidisciplinary team (MDT) meetings and work collaboratively with clinical and non-clinical colleagues.
• Provide information, advice and guidance to PCN staff and partner organisations about social prescribing and available community support.
• Work with community partners to identify gaps in provision, unmet needs and opportunities to strengthen local community resources.
• Support inclusive and sustainable community activities, volunteering, peer support and other initiatives that build community resilience.

• Maintain accurate and timely records of referrals, interventions and outcomes within appropriate clinical systems.
• Ensure social prescribing activity is coded appropriately in accordance with relevant requirements.
• Gather feedback and outcome information from individuals, families, carers and referral organisations to evaluate the impact of the service.
• Handle personal information appropriately and comply with data protection, confidentiality, consent and information governance requirements.
• Contribute to service evaluation, improvement and planning, including work to address accessibility, equality, diversity, inclusion and health inequalities.

• Participate in regular supervision and continuing professional development in line with relevant social prescribing competency frameworks.
• Complete required mandatory training and maintain appropriate professional boundaries and scope of practice.
• Work collaboratively as part of the PCN multidisciplinary team.
• Comply with organisational policies and procedures, including safeguarding, confidentiality, lone working, equality and diversity, information governance and health and safety.
• Undertake other duties appropriate to the level and scope of the role as required.

Essential

• Able to undertake the requirements of the post, including regular travel across the locality and home/community visits.
• Reliable and able to work flexible according to service needs.

Essential

• NVQ Level 3, Advanced Level or equivalent qualification, or working towards.
• Commitment to ongoing personal and professional development.
• Experience of working in community development, health and social care, learning support, public health/health improvement or a similar setting, including voluntary experience.
• Experience of supporting individuals, families and/or carers, including people experiencing mental health or wellbeing difficulties.
• Knowledge of relevant policies and procedures, including confidentiality, safeguarding, lone working, information governance and health and safety.
• Effective verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to adapt communication to different audiences.
• Experience of partnership working and building effective relationships across organisations.
• Experience of data collection and/or measuring service outcomes.

Desirable

• Training in motivational coaching/interviewing, or equivalent experience.
• Experience of working with VCSE organisations, volunteers and/or community groups.

Essential

• Excellent listening and interpersonal skills, with the ability to provide empathetic, person-centred and non-judgemental support.
• Ability to build trust, motivate and empower individuals, adapting support to individual needs and levels of health literacy.
• Commitment to reducing health inequalities and engaging people from diverse communities.
• Ability to develop effective, collaborative relationships with colleagues, community groups, partner organisations and other agencies.
• Able to work effectively both independently and as part of a team, using initiative and creative problem-solving skills.
• Personal accountability and emotional resilience, with the ability to work effectively under pressure.

Essential

• Access to suitable transport and ability to travel regularly across the locality, including visiting people in their own homes and supporting attendance at community activities where appropriate.