Social Prescribing Link Worker in Mansfield

Social prescribing empowers people to take control of their health and wellbeing through referral to non-medical link workers who give time, focus on what matters to me and take a holistic approach, connecting people to community groups and statutory services for practical and emotional support.

Link Workers support existing groups to be accessible and sustainable and help people to start new community groups, working collaboratively with all local partners.

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, 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.,

• KEY REQUIREMENTS
• The role will require managing and prioritising your own caseload, in accordance with the needs, priorities and any priority 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 person needs is beyond the scope of the link worker role e. g., when there is a mental health need requiring a qualified practitioner.
• Core duties
• Take referrals from a wide range of staff working within GP Practices and multi-disciplinary teams within Primary Care Networks
• Provide personalised support to individuals, their families and carers to take control of their wellbeing, live independently and improve their health outcomes.

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

• The role will require managing and prioritising your own caseload, in accordance with the needs, priorities and any priority 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 person needs is beyond the scope of the link worker role e. g., when there is a mental health need requiring a qualified practitioner.
• Draw on and increase the strengths and capacities of local communities, enabling local VCSE organisations and community groups to receive social prescribing referrals.

Ensure they are supported, have basic safeguarding processes for vulnerable individuals and can provide opportunities for the person to develop friendships, a sense of belonging, and build knowledge, skills and confidence.

• Referrals
• Promoting social prescribing, its role in self-management, and the wider determinants of health.
• Build relationships with key staff in GP practices within the local Primary Care Network (PCN), attending relevant meetings, becoming part of the wider network team, giving information and feedback on social prescribing.
• Work in partnership with all local agencies to raise awareness of social prescribing and how partnership working can reduce pressure on statutory services, improve health outcomes and enable a holistic approach to care.
• Seek regular feedback about the quality of service and impact of social prescribing on patients.
• Provide personalised support
• Complete assessments via the telephone and provide support which may include meeting people on a one-to-one basis, making home visits where appropriate within organisations policies and procedures.

Give people time to tell their stories and focus on what matters to me.

Build trust with the person, providing non- judgemental support, respecting diversity and lifestyle choices.

• Help people identify the wider issues that impact on their health and wellbeing, such as debt, poor housing, being unemployed, loneliness, caring responsibilities alongside prevention approaches.
• Work with the person, their families and carers and consider how they can all be supported through social prescribing.
• Where appropriate, physically introduce people to community groups, activities and statutory services, ensuring they are comfortable.
• Follow up to ensure they are happy, able to engage
• Work collectively with all local partners
• Work with commissioners and local partners to identify unmet needs within the community and identify gaps in community provision.
• Attend INTs and MDTs to aid patient care and collaborative working
• Encourage people who have been connected to community support through social prescribing to volunteer and give their time freely to others, in order to build their skills and confidence, and strengthen community resilience.
• Forge strong links with local VCSE organisations, community and neighbourhood level groups, utilising their networks and building on whats already available to create a map or menu of community groups and assets.
• Data capture
• Work sensitively with people, their families and carers to capture key information, enabling tracking of the impact of social prescribing on their health and wellbeing.
• Encourage people, their families and carers to provide feedback and to share their stories about the impact of social prescribing on their lives.
• Support referral agencies to provide appropriate information about the person they are referring.
• Work closely with GP practices within the PCN to ensure that social prescribing referral codes are inputted to Systm One and that the persons use of the NHS can be tracked, adhering to data protection legislation and data sharing agreements with the clinical commissioning group (CCG).
• Clinical Governance
• Identify risk issues that impact on peoples health or social care needs.
• Take appropriate action to the significance of the risk and consistent with protection procedures, applying protection procedures, following lone worker procedure.
• Demonstrate effective team working inclusive of all relevant professionals.
• Report all accidents / incidents, and all ill health, failings in equipment and / or environment to line managers.
• Contribute towards audit and data collection as required
• Be accountable for their own caseload within their area of responsibility and seek support as required.
• Professional development
• Work with your line manager to undertake continual personal and professional development, taking an active part in reviewing and developing the roles and responsibilities.
• Adhere to organisational policies and procedures, including confidentiality, safeguarding, lone working, information governance, and health and safety.
• Miscellaneous
• Work as part of the team to seek feedback, continually improve the service and patient experience.
• Undertake any tasks consistent with the level of the post and the scope of the role, ensuring that work is delivered in a timely and effective manner.
• Duties may vary from time to time, without changing the general character of the post or the level of responsibility.
  We offer a comprehensive package which includes:
• NHS Pension 2015 Scheme (subject to eligibility)
• Alternative government-based scheme (subject to eligibility)
• Competitive leave entitlement that includes maternity, paternity and adoption leave, study leave allowance, and sickness provisions
• Access to education and training opportunities, depending on your role (CPPE Pharmacy, NHS England Roadmap for First Contact Practitioners, apprenticeship schemes, support professional development)
• Working in a multi-disciplinary team with support from a wide variety of professionals
• A flexible approach to a work-life balance
• Cycle to work scheme (subject to eligibility)
• Access to Blue Light Card scheme
• All staff events and conferences
• Staff engagement (Wellbeing Group, EDI Network, Staff Focus group)
• Free parking across many sites
• Personalised induction into the company and job role
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