Health Connector in Glastonbury

As a Health Connector, you'll play a key role in the PCNs social prescribing service, supporting people across West Mendip to improve their health, wellbeing and independence through non-clinical, community based support. This is a full-time role (37.5 hours per week). Part-time working may be considered in line with service requirements. This role is included within the extended hours provision and will involve working an evening and/or Saturday on a rota basis.

Main duties of the job:

• Work directly with individuals and groups, offering time, space and practical support to help people identify what matters to them and access services, activities and resources that can make a positive difference.
• Provide one-to-one support, facilitate group based wellbeing activity, and help people take small, achievable steps towards improving their physical, emotional and social health.
• Manage a varied caseload, working closely with GP practices and the wider PCN team, and contribute to group sessions that focus on wellbeing, building healthier habits and supporting people with ongoing or pain related conditions.
• Help strengthen local connections by promoting community resources, contributing to the development of new opportunities, and supporting a prevention focused, neighbourhood approach.

About us:

Primary Care Networks (PCNs) were established in July 2019 as part of the NHS Long Term Plan to improve the quality and accessibility of care by encouraging collaboration among various healthcare services and community organisations. One of 13 PCNs in Somerset, we are a collaboration of five GP practices in West Mendip: Glastonbury Health Centre, Glastonbury Surgery, Wells City Practice, Wells Health Centre and Vine Surgery Partnership (Street).

Job responsibilities:

• Develop trusting, supportive relationships with people, working flexibly across a range of settings including in GP practices, in the community and in people's homes.
• Support people using a person-centred, holistic approach, focusing on what matters to them and recognising the wider factors that affect health and wellbeing.
• Help people to improve their health, wellbeing and social welfare by connecting them to a wide range of local community services, groups, projects and resources.
• Encourage people to increase their active involvement in their local community, helping to strengthen personal and community resilience and reduce health inequalities.
• Provide one-to-one and group health and wellbeing coaching for people who would benefit from support to improve their health and wellbeing, based on what matters to them.
• Support people to build confidence, motivation and skills to better manage their own health and wellbeing and improve their health outcomes.
• Use behaviour change approaches, including goal-setting and motivational techniques, to support people to make sustainable changes.
• Manage and prioritise a caseload of people, recognising when a person's needs are beyond the scope of the role and referring back to, or on to, appropriate health professionals or services as required.
• Deliver PCN projects, programmes and activities within the community, including group-based support, outreach, and engagement initiatives, in line with service priorities.
• Represent the PCN at community events, outreach activities and informal settings to engage people and promote PCN support and projects.
• Work collaboratively with colleagues across the PCN and wider system to support joined-up, person-centred care.
• Attend and contribute to team, GP practice and PCN meetings and events as required.
• Make use of regular supervision, reflective practice and continual learning to support safe, effective and person-centred practice.
• Identify gaps in local service provision through conversations with people and communities, working with your line manager, colleagues and community stakeholders to explore and develop potential responses.
• Recognise potential safeguarding concerns and follow PCN procedures, escalating to Senior SPLW or the appropriate clinician or safeguarding lead as required.
• Ensure accurate, timely and confidential record‑keeping in line with information governance requirements.
• Work within professional boundaries and ethical practice, in line with the duty of candour and PCN policies.
• Identify and raise concerns or risks encountered in day‑to‑day practice, escalating appropriately in line with PCN procedures.

ALL POST HOLDERS ARE REQUIRED TO:

• Adhere to West Mendip PCN policies and procedures, e.g. Health and Safety at Work, Equal Opportunities etc.
• Maintain personal and professional development to meet the changing demands of the job, participate in appropriate training activities and encourage and support staff development and training.
• Attend statutory, essential and mandatory training.
• Take part in an annual appraisal.
• Respect the confidentiality of all matters relating to their employment and other members of staff.
• Comply with the requirements of the Data Protection Act 2018.
• Comply with the codes of professional conduct set out by the professional body should registration be required for the post.
• Maintain the prevention and control of infection and fully comply with all current Infection Control policies and procedures.
• Take responsibility for any records that they create or use in the course of their duties, in line with the Public Records Act.
• Document in patient notes in the agreed PCN format.
• Report untoward incidents such as complaints, clinical emergencies or injury to senior staff.
• Strive to maintain quality within the PCN, and alert other team members to issues of quality and risk.
• 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 services and organisations to meet patients needs.
• Effectively manage own time, workload and resources.

NOTE: This job description is not intended to be exhaustive and may be updated to reflect evolving service needs, following consultation with the post holder. All duties are to be carried out in accordance with West Mendip PCN policies, procedures and guidelines.

UNDERPINNING POLICIES:

The post holder is expected to maintain confidentiality, uphold equality and diversity, and comply with safeguarding, health and safety and risk management requirements at all times. They should take part in personal and professional development, contribute to quality improvement, and communicate effectively with colleagues, other organisations and services, and the people they support, in line with PCN standards and legal obligations.

Person Specification:

Experience:

• Supporting people on a one-to-one basis in a health, social care, community or voluntary sector setting.
• Working with a person-centred approach to support people to identify goals and make positive changes.
• Managing and prioritising a workload or caseload, and recognising when to escalate concerns or seek additional support.
• Working with people who may face barriers to health and wellbeing, including social or economic challenges.
• Experience working within a PCN, primary care or NHS setting.
• Delivering group-based support, activities or programmes.
• Experience of community-based or outreach work.
• Working with people with long-term health conditions.
• Experience of working alongside community, voluntary or statutory organisations.

Skills & Knowledge:

• Understanding of person-centred and personalised care approaches.
• Understanding of the wider determinants of health and how social, economic and environmental factors affect health and wellbeing.
• Ability to use behaviour change approaches, such as goal-setting and motivational techniques, to support people to improve their health and wellbeing.
• Ability to communicate effectively with individuals and groups, both verbally and in writing.
• Digital skills, including confidence using Microsoft Office and the ability to use IT systems to record activity and produce simple reports.
• Knowledge of local community, voluntary and statutory services.
• Awareness of how primary care and Primary Care Networks operate within the NHS.
• Understanding of community development approaches that build on the strengths and assets of individuals and communities.
• Experience of using clinical or health and wellbeing record systems.

Personal Attributes:

• Actively listens, empathises and builds trusting relationships in a non-judgemental and supportive way.
• Motivates and supports people to identify goals and work towards positive change.
• Demonstrates a commitment to reducing health inequalities and engaging with people from diverse communities.
• Works collaboratively as part of a team, while also using own initiative.
• Ability to work flexibly within an evolving service, manage competing priorities while maintaining quality and attention to detail.

Qualifications:

• GCSEs (or equivalent) including English and Maths, or equivalent level of education and literacy.
• Relevant qualification or demonstrable equivalent experience in a health, social care, community, voluntary or wellbeing related role.
• Willingness to undertake role specific training, including health and wellbeing coaching, motivational interviewing, safeguarding, and the use of PCN systems and processes.
• Commitment to ongoing professional and personal development, including engagement with supervision and reflective practice.
• Formal training or qualification in health and wellbeing coaching, motivational interviewing or behaviour change approaches.
• Additional training relevant to community health, social prescribing or personalised care.

Other Requirements:

• Hold a current UK driving licence and have access to a vehicle that is insured for business purposes.
• Able to work across multiple sites as required.
• Willingness to work flexibly to support occasional events or activities outside normal working hours.

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 to check for any previous criminal convictions.