Social Prescriber

Integrated Care System; Southampton; On-site; GBP 22,000 - 28,000; Full time

Job summary

A community health organization in Southampton is seeking a Social Prescriber to connect patients with community services. This critical role supports individuals with social needs affecting their health and wellbeing. Candidates should possess strong interpersonal skills, a background in health or social care, and the ability to manage a diverse caseload. The position offers a salary of £27,500 full time equivalent, with potential for flexible hours.

Qualifications

• Experience in NHS or community services.
• Previous work in social prescribing.
• Understanding of safeguarding for children and vulnerable adults.

Responsibilities

• Undertake holistic assessments with service users.
• Develop health and wellbeing plans co-produced with individuals.
• Manage and prioritize caseload based on population needs.

Skills

Excellent interpersonal skills

Ability to work across multiple agencies

High emotional intelligence

Holistic assessment skills

Record keeping skills

Education

GCSE or above

Health, social care, or counseling qualification

Tools

Powerpoint

SystmOne

EMIS

Job description

We are on a mission to reshape the way we workwith our patients to provide personalised care. We are excited to be recruitinga Social Prescriber to join our Social Prescribing team and work within ourgrowing wider team in Southampton West Primary Care Network. This role ispivotal to achieving the changes we are aiming for, and we are investing increating a well-supported and expanding multi-disciplinary PCN team workingacross our diverse population.

As a Social Prescriber you will help patients connectto activities, groups, and services in the community to meet the practical,social and emotional needs that affect their health and wellbeing. The SocialPrescriber role gives patients time, focusing on what mattersto me?. The support allows patients to take control of their health andwellbeing.

Main duties of the job

Social Prescribers are a key part of our Primary Care Network multidisciplinary team. They work alongside our integrated team of Health & Wellbeing Coaches, Peer Support Workers, Mental Health Practitioners and Care Coordinators to provide an all-encompassing approach to personalised care and promote and embed the personalised care approach across the PCN.

Social prescribing link workers work collaboratively across the health and care system, targeting populations with greatest need and risk of health inequalities. They collaborate with partners to identify gaps in provision and support community offers to be accessible and sustainable.

Social prescribers will work with patients of all-ages with a whole population approach and support people who:

• have one or more long term conditions
• who are lonely or isolated
• who have complex social needs which affect their wellbeing.

Social Prescribers manage and prioritise a caseload, according to the needs, priorities and support required by individuals in the caseload. They identify when a persons needs are beyond the scope of the Social Prescribing role and refer them back to other health professionals or organisations.

About us

Southampton West PrimaryCare Network (PCN) consists of the 9 GPsurgeries in the west of the City and covers 84,000 patients. Ourmission is to work collaboratively to develop high quality services forour patients, so that we can improve health outcomes that enable people to livewell, for longer, whilst developing resilient primary care.

The PCN already hosts a strong and supportive multi-disciplinarywellbeing team consisting of mental health practitioners, peersupport workers, social prescribers, care coordinators, Health and WellbeingCoaches, Pharmacists, and First Contact Physiotherapist.

Job responsibilities

The role will involve coproducing a "Social Prescription" with individuals referred to the service which provides the individual with positive health and wellbeing outcomes through addressing non-medical/social issues in their life, such as housing, debt or social isolation.

Key responsibilities:

To undertake holistic assessments and co-design Health and Well-being Plans with individual service users, identifying support needs to ensure maximum engagement in improving their health and wellbeing.

Develop trusting relationships by giving people time and focus on what matters to them

To provide service users with continuity and a coordinated experience of care, remaining a point of contact throughout the individuals social prescription.

Take a holistic approach, based on the persons priorities, and the wider determinants of health. The role will require social prescribing link workers to manage and prioritise their own caseload, in accordance with the health and wellbeing needs of their population.

To work in partnership with all voluntary and community organisations to build a comprehensive database of local resources to design and support the Social Prescription Menu.

Identify and engage effectively in a non-judgemental and respectful manor with members of the community from all backgrounds, abilities and ages, listening and interpreting complex health information into understandable terms about health and health improvement.

To support and develop GPs and primary care health teams knowledge on how to identify patients suitable for social prescribing service referral on a quarterly basis.

Utilise and maintain comprehensive data and evaluation systems, including individual health outcome tools.

Support the development of the service taking into consideration feedback from service users, PCN member practices, and other local services Social Prescribers work collaboratively with

To keep records of your work and adhere to confidentiality, information sharing protocols and provide monitoring information as required.

The role requires social prescribing link workers to manage and prioritise their own referrals in accordance with the health and wellbeing needs of their population. Where required and as appropriate, the social prescribing link workers will refer people back to other health and social care organisations within the city where appropriate.

Key Result Areas:

Improved health and quality of life

Increased patient satisfaction

Fewer primary care consultations

Reductions in the number of hospital admissions, visits to Accident and Emergency, and outpatient attendances

A decrease in the use of wider hospital resources

Reduction in 999 calls.

Increased awareness of non-health interventions.

General Responsibilities of All Employed Staff:

Confidentiality

• In the course of seeking treatment, patients entrust us with, or allow us to gather, sensitive information in relation to their health and other matters. They do so in confidence and have the right to expect that staff will respect their privacy and act appropriately
• In the performance of the duties outlined in this Job Description, the post-holder may have access to confidential information relating to patients and their carers, practice staff and other healthcare workers. They may also have access to information relating to the practice as a business organisation. All such information from any source is to be regarded as strictly confidential
• Information relating to patients, carers, colleagues, other healthcare workers or the business of the practice may only be divulged to authorised persons in accordance with the practice policies and procedures relating to confidentiality and the protection of personal and sensitive data

Health & Safety

The post-holder will assist in promoting and maintaining their own and others health, safety and security as defined in the practice Health & Safety Policy to include:

• Using personal security systems within the workplace according to practice guidelines
• Identifying the risks involved in work activities and undertaking such activities in a way that manages those risks
• Making effective use of training to update knowledge and skills
• Using appropriate infection control procedures, maintaining work areas in a tidy and safe way and free from hazards

Equality and diversity

The post-holder will support the equality, diversity and rights of patients, carers and colleagues to include:

• Acting in a way that recognises the importance of peoples rights, interpreting them in a way that is consistent with practice procedures, policies and current legislation
• Respecting the privacy, dignity, needs and beliefs of patients, carers and colleagues
• Behaving in a manner which is welcoming to and of the individual, is non-judgmental and respects their circumstances, feelings priorities and rights.#

Personal and professional development

The post-holder will participate in any training programme implemented by Southampton West PCN Limited as part of this employment, such training to include:

• Participation in an annual individual performance review, including taking responsibility for maintaining a record of own personal and/or professional development
• Taking responsibility for own development, learning and performance and demonstrating skills and activities to others who are undertaking similar work.

Quality

The post-holder will strive to maintain quality within the practice and will:

• Alert other team members to issues of quality and risk
• Assess own performance and take accountability for own actions, either directly or under supervision
• Contribute to the effectiveness of the team by reflecting on own and team activities and making suggestions on ways to improve and enhance the teams performance
• Work effectively with individuals in other agencies to meet patients needs
• Effectively manage own time, workload and resources

Communication

The post-holder should recognize the importance of effective communication within the team and will strive to:

• Communicate effectively with other team members
• Communicate effectively with patients and carers
• Recognise peoples needs for alternative methods of communication and respond accordingly

Contribution to the implementation of services

The post-holder will:

• Apply practice policies, standards and guidance
• Discuss with other members of the team how the policies, standards and guidelines will affect own work
• Participate in audit where appropriate

PERSON SPECIFICATION

A confident and professional approach to working with a variety of stakeholders

A commitment to equal opportunities and an understanding of the impact on the individuals, families and communities

Ability to work hours in a flexible way, including evenings and weekends to meet the needs of the service

Person Specification

Experience

• NHS experience, health care provider or community services
• Worked previously in social prescribing
• Previously worked within primary care

Knowledge / Skills / Training

• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Passion to help others
• Ability to work across multiple agencies in health and social care
• Work non judgementally with a wide cohort of people
• Demonstrate high levels of emotional intelligence
• Experience in giving Health advice to individuals
• Proven skills in collating information and data on community resources and organising these in up-to-date and accessible formats for a range of different service users from various communities.
• Excellent record keeping skills and the proven ability to write comprehensive reports for a variety of stakeholders.
• Excellent IT skills and ability to do own administration using database, Powerpoint, SystmOne, EMIS, and other IT packages.
• The ability to work autonomously and to plan, prioritise work under pressure and adapt to new models of working.
• A proven understanding of safeguarding for children and vulnerable adults and ability to implement relevant policies and procedures.
• Excellent holistic assessment as well as consultation skills and experience of providing empowering support to adults in a planned and structured way to improve health, recovery and well-being outcomes.
• Knowledge of social care systems

Qualifications

• Must be qualified to GCSE or above
• A health, social care, counseling or other relevant professional or academic qualification

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.

£27,500 a year* full time equivalent (£22,000 per annum for 30 hours per week)