Social Prescribing Link Worker

NHS; Peterborough; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 33,000; Full time

Job summary

An exciting opportunity for a Social Prescriber at Bretton Park Healthcare in Peterborough. This role involves supporting patients by connecting them to community services, addressing health inequalities, and promoting well-being. Training is provided, making it suitable for those new to the field.

Qualifications

• Commitment to ongoing professional development.
• Empathy, active listening, and person-centered support skills.
• Ability to foster collaborative relationships and promote teamwork.

Responsibilities

• Assess patients' health and well-being needs against available services.
• Co-produce personalized care and support plans.
• Develop trusting relationships with individuals.

Skills

Understanding of social, economic, and environmental determinants of health

Knowledge of community development approaches

Motivational coaching and interview skills

Ability to work independently and as part of a team

Effective communication skills at all levels

Education

Level 3 Certificate in Social Prescribing

Job description

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Social Prescriber at Bretton Park Healthcare, located over 2 sites in Peterborough. We are recruiting a part-time/full-time Social Prescriber who will be part of our well-established and experienced practice team. A Social Prescriber is a non-clinical healthcare professional who responds to concerns raised by the wider GP practice team about any individual facing life challenges that are adversely impacting their health & wellbeing. It is a diverse and sometimes challenging role with no two days being the same.

Experience in the role is not essential as training will be given.

The employment is for a fixed term contract of 12 months, with options to extend possibly available.

Main duties of the job

Social Prescribing helps to strengthen personal and community resilience and reduce health inequalities by addressing the wider determinants of health such as debt, housing, and physical inactivity, and promotes active involvement within local communities. This can be particularly helpful for people with long-term conditions (including support for mental health), for people who are lonely or isolated, or those with complex social support needs.

Becoming a Social Prescriber is an opportunity to really help people, whether they are lonely, struggling with life, or needing help with managing their health condition. Your starting point is to listen to them and understand what matters most, then to create a plan with them for their individual needs. This role will also focus on supporting children, young people, vulnerable adults, and families, which will develop as you progress in the role.

You will take a holistic approach, signposting and connecting people to community groups, services, and activities for practical and personalized support. You will work in partnership with our wider GP Practice team to support patients in taking control of their health and linking them with appropriate support in their local community.

Experience in the role is not essential as training will be given.

About us

Bretton Park Healthcare comprises two practices that have been working together since January 2022. We are a dynamic, motivated, and friendly team passionate about education and development. We are a registered training practice actively involved in research. We serve just under 22,000 patients across the two sites. Our team includes experienced Doctors, Nurse Practitioners, Nurses, HCAs, Pharmacists, Social Prescribers, and Care Coordinators, supported by an excellent administration team.

Job responsibilities

Job title: Social Prescriber Link Worker

Line manager: Partners, Practice Manager

Accountable to: 30 - 37.5 hours per week

Job purpose: The post holder will be an integral part of the practice team, supporting patients holistically by connecting them to community and statutory services for practical and emotional support, thereby strengthening community and personal resilience and reducing health inequalities.

Primary key responsibilities

1. Assess how far a patient's health and well-being needs can be met by available services and community opportunities.
2. Co-produce personalized care and support plans to address health and well-being needs, including signposting to community groups and statutory services.
3. Evaluate the effectiveness of care and support plans in meeting patients' needs.
4. Provide personalized support to patients, their families, and carers to promote independence and healthy lifestyles.
5. Develop trusting relationships by focusing on what matters most to individuals.
6. Take a holistic approach, supporting access to employment, training, and welfare support.
7. Explore and support access to personal health budgets where appropriate.
8. Manage and prioritize own caseload based on community health needs.
9. Refer patients to other healthcare professionals within Bretton Park Healthcare as required.
10. Work as part of a multidisciplinary team, promoting social prescribing and self-management.
11. Collaborate with local partners to sustain community organizations and assets.
12. Build relationships with key staff, attend relevant meetings, and provide feedback on social prescribing activities.
13. Ensure referral codes are inputted into Systm1, adhering to data protection legislation.
14. Partner with local agencies to raise awareness and reduce pressure on statutory services.
15. Encourage self-referrals and engagement with hard-to-reach communities.
16. Meet individuals one-to-one, including home visits, respecting diversity and promoting a strength-based approach.
17. Identify wider issues affecting health, such as debt and housing, and support individuals in maintaining independence.
18. Assist individuals in exploring personal health budgets and employment opportunities.
19. Develop strong links with local VCSE organizations and community groups.
20. Work with commissioners to identify unmet needs and gaps in community provision.
21. Support the development of new community services and groups through grants and micro-commissioning.
22. Support delivery of enhanced services, including safeguarding and monthly reporting.
23. Deliver training, mentoring, and guidance on social prescribing matters.
24. Create newsletters or bulletins and participate in practice meetings.
25. Support virtual and remote consultation models, including telehealth and telemedicine.
26. Participate in managing patient complaints and incident reviews.
27. Manage complex patient caseloads and advise GP management on complex cases.
28. Review guidance to ensure practice compliance with NICE, CQC, etc.
29. Signpost patients to appropriate healthcare professionals.
30. Provide targeted support to vulnerable and at-risk patients.
31. Seek feedback on service quality and social prescribing impact.
32. Work with line managers for personal and professional development, including supervision and appraisals.
33. Undertake mandatory training and induction programs.
34. Contribute to public health campaigns, such as flu clinics.

Secondary responsibilities

1. Enhance community capacity by supporting local VCSE organizations and community groups.
2. Collaborate with partners to ensure sustainability of community assets and share intelligence on gaps or issues.
3. Support quality and cost-effectiveness initiatives like QOF and QIPP.
4. Undertake tasks within the scope of the role, ensuring timely and effective delivery.
5. Duties may vary without changing the core character of the post.

Person Specification

Experience

• Experience in community development, adult health and social care, public health, or related unpaid work.
• Experience working with the VCSE sector, volunteers, and community groups.
• Experience in partnership working and relationship building across organizations.
• Experience supporting mental health needs.
• Experience in data collection and impact monitoring.

Skills

• Understanding of social, economic, and environmental determinants of health.
• Knowledge of community development approaches.
• Polite and clear telephone manner.
• IT skills including document creation, emails, and internet research.
• Motivational coaching and interview skills.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team, under pressure, and meet deadlines.
• Knowledge of local VCSE and community services.
• Understanding of the personalized care approach.

Qualifications

• Commitment to ongoing professional development.
• Level 3 Certificate in Social Prescribing.
• Training in motivational coaching and interviewing or equivalent experience.
• Empathy, active listening, and person-centered support skills.
• Respect for diversity and lifestyles.
• Commitment to reducing health inequalities and reaching diverse communities.
• Ability to build trust, motivate, and support individuals.
• Discretion, sensitivity, and initiative.
• Effective communication skills at all levels.
• Risk assessment and management skills.
• Integrity, loyalty, and professionalism.
• Ability to work asset-based, building on community and personal assets.
• Leadership and task completion skills.
• Ability to foster collaborative relationships and promote teamwork.
• Accountability, emotional resilience, and resilience under pressure.
• Organizational, planning, and prioritization skills.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Knowledge of supporting small volunteer-led groups.
• Awareness of policies on confidentiality, safeguarding, lone working, and health & safety.

Other Requirements

• Willingness to work outside core hours.
• Occupational health clearance.
• Own transport and ability to travel locally, including home visits.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975. A DBS check will be required to verify the absence of criminal convictions.

Salary: £30,000 to £33,000 per year, dependent on experience. Salary FTE, pro-rata for part-time hours.