Social Prescriber - Ship Street Surgery in South Shields

Ready to make an impact? Seeking a fresh challenge? This could be the role for you! We are looking for a skilled, enthusiastic and experienced Social Prescriber with an interest in Frailty to join the Mid Sussex Division of Modality Partnership on a part-time basis (15 hours), for a 12-month fixed term contract. Working alongside general practice colleagues, including health and wellbeing coaches and care coordinators, you will provide holistic, person-centred support to patients, with a particular interest in frailty and improving health and wellbeing.

At Modality Partnership, our CARE values, Commitment, Accountability, Respect, and Excellence, guide everything we do. Join a team that embodies these values in every patient interaction and across the wider organisation. We offer a supportive, rewarding environment with benefits that help you thrive both professionally and personally:

• Minimum 27 days annual leave + 8 bank holidays (pro rata)
• Employee discounts and benefits scheme
• Employee Assistance Programme (EAP)
• Education and career development pathways
• Enhanced family-friendly policies
• Flexible working options and wellbeing initiatives

Main duties of the job:

The Social Prescriber will provide personalised support to patients across the Division with a focus on frailty, helping them identify what matters to them and access appropriate community services, groups, activities and other sources of practical and emotional support. You will use effective communication, active listening and motivational skills to empower patients to improve their health and wellbeing. Working from an asset-based approach, you will connect individuals with voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations, statutory services and local support networks.

You will manage a caseload, work independently within the scope of the role, identify and respond to risks, and refer patients to appropriate health professionals or services when their needs fall outside your remit. You will also work collaboratively with multidisciplinary teams and local organisations to support joined-up care. Supervision will be provided in line with organisational arrangements.

We are also looking for an individual with an interest in Frailty and advanced care planning.

About us:

Our Mid Sussex practices form part of Modality Partnership, one of the UK’s largest GP super-partnerships, serving over 500,000 patients with a workforce of more than 1,800 staff. We are committed to continuous improvement and the implementation of scalable, innovative solutions that enhance both patient care and staff satisfaction. This role offers the opportunity to make a meaningful difference to patients' lives by improving access to community support, reducing isolation and helping people manage their health and wellbeing. We are proud to be an Equal Opportunities Employer, committed to equality, diversity, and inclusion in line with the Equality Act 2010.

Job responsibilities:

Please refer to the supporting documents section to retrieve the JD detailing the core responsibilities of this role. You will thrive if you have a passion for supporting patients and empowering them to manage their individual health and wellbeing needs. You will learn more because you will improve the way we work from the ground up whilst working closely with leadership teams to influence service improvement.

Please note: Modality Partnership reserves the right to close this vacancy at any point during the recruitment stage.

Pre-employment Vaccinations:

As part of recruitment, Modality Partnership checks all new starters' vaccination status to assess risks and provide support where needed. Evidence of mandatory vaccinations will be required for relevant roles.

Right to work checks:

All applicants invited for interview will need to prove their right to work in the UK at the interview stage.

References:

References must be secured prior to beginning employment, one must be your current or most recent employer.

Employment history:

You must notify us of any employment gaps of 6 weeks or more.

Experience:

• Experience of working directly in a community development context, adult health and social care, learning support or public health/health improvement (including unpaid work)
• Experience of supporting people, their families, and carers in a related role (including unpaid work)
• Experience of partnership/collaborative working and of building relationships across a variety of organisations

Skills:

• Able to work well under pressure and deliver to tight timescales.
• Well organised
• Proficient verbal and written communication skills to individuals at all levels within and outside of the organisation
• Strong work ethic as part of a team and working on your own initiative.
• Able to respond effectively to changing priorities.
• Logical and systematic in work processes.

Knowledge:

• Demonstrable commitment to professional and personal development
• Training in motivational coaching and interviewing or equivalent experience (advantageous)
• Knowledge of the personalised care approach
• Understanding of the wider determinants of health, including social, economic, and environmental factors and their impact on communities, individuals, their families, and carers
• Understanding of, and commitment to, equality, diversity, and inclusion
• Knowledge of IT systems, including ability to use word processing skills, emails, and the internet to create simple plans and reports
• Local knowledge of VCSE and community services in the locality
• Interest in frailty

Qualifications:

• NVQ Level 3, Advanced level or equivalent qualifications or working towards

Skills:

• Ability to actively listen, empathise with people and provide person-centred support in a non-judgemental way.
• Able to provide a culturally sensitive service, by supporting people from all backgrounds and communities, respecting lifestyles and diversity.
• Able to support people in a way that inspires trust and confidence, motivating others to reach their potential.
• Ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing, with people, their families, carers, community groups, partner agencies, and stakeholders
• Ability to identify risk and assess/manage risk when working with individuals
• 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.
• Able to work from an asset-based approach, building on existing community and personal assets.
• Ability to maintain effective working relationships and to promote collaborative practice with all colleagues.
• Ability to organise, plan and prioritise on own initiative, including when under pressure and meeting deadlines.
• Ability to work flexibly and enthusiastically within a team or on own initiative
• Knowledge of, and ability to work to, policies and procedures, including confidentiality, safeguarding, lone working, information governance, and health and safety.

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.

£29,037.02 to £31,051.04 a year. Salary is WTE and depending on experience.