Social Prescriber Link Worker(PCN)

Job responsibilities

A social prescriber is a link worker who empowers people to take control of their health and wellbeing through giving time, focusing on what matters to me and taking a holistic approach. The post holder works to connect people to community groups as well as statutory services for practical and emotional support. Social Prescribers support existing groups to be accessible and sustainable and help people to start new community groups, working collaboratively with all local partners.

The post holder will be deployed in a specific Primary Care Network and Enhanced Access Service, working in partnership with the practice teams in that network to support patients and promote lifestyle changes, preventing ill-health by means of behaviour change techniques. The post requires: good understanding of social prescribing, well-being, and community services and a good understanding of; and ability to provide; motivational and behavioural techniques.

Social prescribing can help to strengthen community resilience and personal resilience, and reduces health inequalities by addressing the wider determinants of health, such as debt, poor housing and physical inactivity; and by increasing peoples active involvement with their local communities. It particularly works for people with long-term conditions (including support for mental health), for people who are lonely or isolated, or have complex social needs which affect their wellbeing.

We recognise that existing social prescribing schemes may employ link workers on a different salary scale, however this proposed salary reflects the complexity of the situations that people present with, and the need for a significant level of multi- agency working, including supporting community groups to receive referrals.

Person Specification

Experience

Essential

• 1. Experience of working directly in a community development context, adult health and social care, learning support or public health/healthimprovement (including unpaid work).
• 2. Experience of supporting people, their families and carers in a related role (including unpaid work).
• 3. Experience of working with the VCSE sector (in a paid or unpaid capacity), including with volunteers and small community groups.
• 4. Experienceof
• partnership/collaborative working and of building relationships across a variety of organisations.

Desirable

• 1. Experience of supporting people with their mental health, either in a paid, unpaid or informal capacity.
• 2. Experience of data collection and providing monitoring information to assess the impact of services.

Qualifications

Essential

• 1. NVQ Level 3, Advanced level or equivalent qualifications or working towards.
• 2. Demonstrable commitmentto professionalandpersonal
• development.

Desirable

• 1. Training in motivational coaching andinterviewingorequivalent experience.

Knowledge

Essential

• 1. Understandingofthewider determinants of health, including social, economic and environmental factors and their impact on communities.
• 2. Knowledgeof community development approaches
• 3. Knowledge of IT systems, including ability to use word processing skills, emails and the updating digital records accurately, and compiling simple plans and reports.
• 4. Knowledge of motivational coaching and interview skills.

Desirable

• 1. Knowledge of the personalised care approach.
• 2. Knowledgeof VCSE and community services in the locality.

Skills & Abilities

Essential

• 1. Ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing, with people, their families, carers, community groups, partner agencies and stakeholders.
• 2. Abilitytoidentifyriskand assess/manage risk when working with individuals.
• 3. Ability to recognise critical safeguarding concerns and swiftly escalate risks to senior management in line with organisational procedures.
• 4. Understanding of professional boundaries, maintaining strict objectivity and ethical standards in all client.
• 5. Able to work from an asset-based approach,buildingonexisting community and personal assets.
• 6. Able to provide leadership and to finish work tasks.
• 7. Ability to maintain effective working relationshipsandtopromote collaborative practice with all colleagues.
• 8. Commitment to collaborative workingwith all local agencies (including VCSE organisations and community groups). Able to work with others to reduce hierarchies andfind creativesolutionsto community issues.
• 9. Demonstrates personal accountability, emotional resilience and works well under pressure.
• 10. Ability to organise,planand prioritise on own initiative, including when under pressure and meeting deadlines.
• 11. Highlevel ofwrittenandoral communication skills.
• 12.Ability to workflexibly and enthusiastically within a team or on own initiative.
• 13. Understanding of the needs of small volunteer-led community groups and ability to support their development.
• 14. Knowledge of and ability to work to policies and procedures, including confidentiality, safeguarding, lone working, information governance, and health and safety.

Desirable

• 1. Previous PCN, EMIS, Joy and detailed Newham-service knowledge

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

Newham Health Collaborative

Address

1st Floor Vicarage Lane Health Ctr

10 Vicarage Lane

Stratford

E15 4ES

United Kingdom

Employer's website

https://www.newhamhealthcollaborative.co.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)