Social Prescriber

This post empowers people to take

control of their health and wellbeing by giving time to focus on what matters

to me. The social prescribing link worker will build trusting relationships

with people, create a shared personalised care and support plan and connect

them to local, diverse and culturally appropriate community groups, VCSE

organisations and services. They will also work with a diverse range of

partners to provide support to community groups and VCSE organisations involved

in social prescribing.

1. Working with direct supervision by a GP, take referrals from a

wide range of agencies, including PCNs GP practices and multi-disciplinary

team in 2019/20 and from 2020/21: pharmacies, wider 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 (list not exhaustive).

2. Provide personalised support to individuals, their families and

carers to take control of their health and wellbeing, live independently and

improve their health access and outcomes, as a key member of the PCN

multi-disciplinary team. Develop trusting relationships by giving people time

and focus on what matters to me. Take a holistic approach, based on the

persons priorities and the wider determinants of health. Offer health checks

as directed by the GPs. Co-produce a simple personalised care and support plan

to improve health and wellbeing, introducing or reconnecting people to

appropriate community groups and statutory services. The role will require

managing and prioritising your own caseload, in accordance with the needs,

priorities and any urgent support required by individuals on the caseload. It

is vital that you 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 persons needs are beyond the scope of

the link worker role e.g. when there is a mental health need requiring a

qualified practitioner.

3. 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.

4. Alongside other members of the PCN multi-disciplinary team,

work collaboratively with all local diverse partners to contribute towards

supporting the local VCSE organisations and community groups to become

sustainable and that community assets are nurtured, through sharing

intelligence regarding any gaps or problems identified in local provision with

commissioners and local authorities.

5. Social prescribing link workers will have a role in educating

non-clinical and clinical staff within their PCN multi-disciplinary teams on

what other services are available within the community and how and when

patients can access them. This may include verbal or written advice and

guidance.

This role helps people to work on

their wider health and wellbeing, specifically addressing health access and

outcomes and wider determinants of their health, such as debt, poor housing and

physical inactivity, as well as other lifestyle issues and low-level mental

health concerns by increasing peoples active involvement with their local

communities. This approach particularly helps people with long term conditions

(including support for mental health), people who are lonely or isolated, or

who have complex social needs which affect their wellbeing.

Qualifications

Essential: - General Practice

Desirable: - Social Prescribing experience