Social Prescribing Link Worker

Job responsibilities

Job Purpose

To support patients in our local community to take control of their health and wellbeing by:

Promoting prevention & lifestyle changes

Engaging patients and connecting them with the wide range of groups and services

Working with the wider health, social care and voluntary network

Encouraging a holistic approach for patients with chronic diseases

Building a relationship in the journey of patients towards mental health services

Building a relationship in the journey of patients navigating through cancer pathways

Bereavement support supporting patients family's and signposting them to an appropriate bereavement service where necessary

Supporting the practices in attaining their referral targets

Promoting and raising awareness of the social prescribing service within the practices and partner agencies

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

To work with patients in a variety of settings, in their own homes or in GP surgeries, to signpost them to local services and organisations which the patient themselves feels would be of benefit to reach their goals. These services may include befriending, weight management, mental health support, smoking cessation, local social groups, leisure centres and volunteering.

To work with partner organisations to support the development and delivery of an integrated care plan for the client so all their needs are met in a holistic way.

To follow up with clients, update their records and support them on an ongoing basis.

To make and maintain contact with local health and wellbeing service providers and build a network and knowledge of referral routes to and from service providers.

To ensure information about providers and voluntary groups is shared locally across neighbouring networks

To undertake regular training to extend and update knowledge of health and wellbeing issues.

To offer some care coordination for those navigating their way through cancer pathways, offering cancer care advice and signposting wherever appropriate.

Supporting patients with issues around Benefits, finances, housing, employment/volunteering, training, education, reducing social isolation and promoting independence, general wellbeing, mental health support, bereavement, weight management, smoking cessation long term conditions, or any other non-clinical issues.

Engaging with patients in a person-centred way, understanding any issues or challenges they may be facing, advising of different options and choices available to them, linking them up to the appropriate support, by signposting and refereeing to local organisations to resolve any issues or generally improve their general wellbeing by reducing isolation and promoting independence.

Working with patients until they are engaging with the right support, offering follow ups, and promoting our SPLW service, reassuring patients they can return for future support at any time, always empowering people so they have the tools and knowledge to access services for support in the future.

The post holder will comply with the organisations policies and procedures:

FURTHER AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY

Health and Safety/Risk Management

The post-holder must comply at all times with the Network Health and Safety policies, in particular by following agreed safe working procedures and reporting incidents using the organisations Incident Reporting System.

Information Governance

As an employee you will have access to information that is sensitive to either an individual or to the organisation and you are reminded that in accordance with the requirements of Information Governance, NHS Code of Confidentiality, Data Protection Act 1998 and also the terms and conditions in your contract of employment, you have a duty to process this information judiciously and lawfully; failure to do so may result in disciplinary action.

Performance Appraisal and Personal Development Planning

The network is committed to providing a high quality service through the effective management and development of its employees. Each employee receives an Annual Performance Appraisal and a Personal Development Plan.

Statutory and Mandatory Training

All required Statutory and Mandatory training must be completed within the first three months of staff start date and refresher training must also be undertaken on a regular basis and in accordance with agreed policy.

Safeguarding Children and Vulnerable Adults

The network is committed to safeguarding children, young people and vulnerable adults within its care. As an employee you are accountable to ensure that you know how to respond when you are concerned for the safety of a child, young person or vulnerable adult.

Infection Prevention and Control

All employees are expected to follow consistently high standards in the prevention and control of infection, especially with reference to hand hygiene, adherence to dress/uniform code and for clinical staff and all procedures involving aseptic technique.

Special Working Conditions

The post-holder is required to travel independently between practice sites and to attend meetings at other locations as required.

Job Description Agreement

This job description is intended to provide an outline of the key tasks and responsibilities only. There may be other duties required of the post-holder commensurate with the position. This description will be open to regular review and may be amended to take into account development within the network. All members of staff should be prepared to take on additional duties or relinquish existing duties in order to maintain the efficient running of the network.

Person Specification

Experience

Essential

• Experience working in health and wellbeing, public or voluntary sector or leisure and fitness environment
• Experience in a customer facing role
• Experience delivering lifestyle change / brief interventions
• Excellent people skills, interacting with all types of people and able to change communication style to fit the person
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team
• Comfortable working with people from public, private and voluntary organisations
• Highly organised, managing time, resources and competing priorities in a structured and efficient way
• Highly motivated and willing to go out of your way to help clients
• Creative problem solver and willing to search for hard to find information
• Good IT and administrative skills
• Good understanding of health issues and the wider determinants of health and wellbeing
• Knowledge of social prescribing
• Understanding of health and social wellbeing and community/local/national services
• Using own initiative

Desirable

• Experience of working on SystmOne (clinical system)
• Experience working in a health trainer / advisor role
• Experience working in partnership with community organisations
• Experience promoting and / or marketing services to other organisations / the public

Other

Essential

• Willingness to travel within network of practices and to visit patients in their own homes

Qualifications

Essential

• Educated to A level/BTEC or equivalent experience in relevant field

Desirable

• Health/Social Care Degree

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