Job Description
General Information
Job Title: WINSFORD PCN - Social Prescriber
Responsible To: PCN Manager
Responsible For: N/A
Grade: Agenda for Change - Band 4
Disclosure Required: Yes. Enhanced Disclosure
Role Purpose
As a Social Prescriber you will empower 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.
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 people’s active involvement with their local communities. It particularly works for people with long-term conditions (including support for low level mental health), for people who are lonely or isolated or have complex social needs which affect their wellbeing.
Principal Accountabilities
1. Take referrals from GP practices within Winsford Primary Care Network (PCN), providing digital or practice-based consultations with patients (and possibly carers etc) and occasional community-based appointments. i.e. housebound patients, community service events.
2. Provide personalised support to individuals, their families and carers to take control of their wellbeing, live independently and improve their health outcomes.
3. Develop relationships by giving people time and focus on ‘what matters to me’. Take a holistic approach, based on the person’s priorities and the wider determinants of health.
4. Co-produce a personalised support plan to improve health and wellbeing, introducing or reconnecting people to community groups and statutory services.
5. Integrate into and form part of Winsford PCN's GP Practices to provide the support needed across those locations.
6. Liaise and communicate with patients, carers, advocates, health and social care professionals, voluntary sector and stake-holders involved in the wellbeing of your caseload and communities.
7. The role will require managing and prioritising your own caseload, in accordance with the needs, priorities and any urgent 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, 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.
Health and Safety
The post holder will be required to comply with the duties placed on employees of Winsford Primary Care Network as set out in the Health and Safety at Work Policy and related procedures. The post holder has a legal obligation to make positive efforts to maintain their own personal safety and that of others by taking reasonable care, carrying out requirements of the law and following recognised codes of practice.
Equality and Diversity
Winsford Primary Care Network has an Equality and Diversity Policy to ensure that no job applicant or employee is discriminated against either directly or indirectly on the grounds of age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, marriage / civil partnership, and pregnancy / maternity whilst attracting talented recruits and retaining experienced employees.
WinsfordPrimary Care Network is committed to promoting equal opportunities and diversity and will keep under review its policies, procedures and practices. In addition, all patients are treated according to their needs.
Information Governance
Information is vitally important for the safe clinical management of patient care and the efficient administration of services and resources, including our workforce. Information Governance is a framework to enable Winsford Primary Care Network to handle personal and corporate information appropriately.
It is the responsibility of our entire workforce, regardless of employment status, to ensure they abide by the requirements of Information Governance.
Safeguarding Children and Vulnerable adults
Winsford Primary Care Network is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. All employees, workers and volunteers are therefore expected to behave in such a way that supports this commitment. You will be responsible for safeguarding the interests of children and adults who you come into contact with during your work. To fulfil these duties, you will be required to attend training and development to recognise the signs and symptoms of abuse or individuals at risk, to follow local and national policy relating to safeguarding practice and to report and act on concerns you may have appropriately.
Variations
This Job Description describes the main purpose and key responsibilities and accountabilities of the post. The post holder may be required to undertake any additional duties or responsibilities as may reasonably be required.
This Job Description is a guide to the nature and main duties of the post as they currently exist, but it is not intended as a wholly comprehensive or permanent schedule and it is not part of the contract of employment.
To reflect changing needs and priorities, some elements of this post may be subject to change and where required, any appropriate communication or consultation with the post holder will be undertaken prior to making any changes.
Key Activities
1.0 Referrals
1.1 Promoting social prescribing, its role in self-management, and the wider determinants of health.
1.2 Build relationships with colleagues in Winsford PCN's GP Practices, attending relevant meetings, becoming part of the wider network team, giving information and feedback on social prescribing.
1.3 Be proactive in developing strong links with all local agencies to encourage referrals, recognising what they need to be confident in the service to make appropriate referrals.
1.4 Work in partnership with 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.
1.5 Provide practices with regular updates about social prescribing, including training for their team and how to access information to encourage appropriate referrals.
1.6 Seek regular feedback about the quality of service and the impact of social prescribing.
2.0 Provide personalised support
2.1 Meet people on an individual basis, using digital platforms, or on a face to face basis. Occasional home visit appointments may be required i.e. for housebound patients.
2.2 Give people time to tell their stories and focus on ‘what matters to me’. Build trust with the person, providing non-judgemental support and respecting diversity and lifestyle choices.
2.3 Be a friendly source of information about wellbeing and prevention approaches.
2.4 Help people identify the wider issues that impact on their health and wellbeing, such as debt, poor housing, being unemployed, loneliness and caring responsibilities.
2.5 Work with the person, their families and carers and consider how they can all be supported.
2.6 Help people maintain or regain independence through living skills, adaptations, enablement approaches and simple safeguards.
2.7 Work with individuals to co-produce a simple personalised action plan – based on the person’s priorities, interests, values and motivations.
2.8 Where appropriate, personally introduce people to community groups, activities and statutory services. Follow up to ensure they are happy, able to engage, included and receiving good support.
3.0 Work collectively with local partners
3.1 Forge strong links with GP Practices, local voluntary and community organisations, utilising their established networks.
3.2 Develop supportive relationships with GP Practices, local voluntary and community organisations, community groups and statutory services, to make timely, appropriate and supported referrals.
3.3 Work with commissioners and local partners to identify unmet needs within the community and gaps in community provision.
3.4 Support local partners and commissioners to develop new groups and services where needed.
3.5 Encourage people who have been connected to community support through social prescribing to volunteer and give their time freely to others, to build their skills and confidence, and strengthen community resilience.
3.6 Encourage people, their families and carers to provide peer support and to do things together, such as setting up new community groups or volunteering.
4.0 Data capture
4.1 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.
4.2 Encourage people, their families and carers to provide feedback and to share their stories about the impact of social prescribing on their lives.
4.3 Support referral agencies to provide appropriate information about the person they are referring. Use the case management system to track the person’s progress.
4.4 Provide appropriate feedback to referral agencies about the people they referred.
4.5 Work closely with GP practices within the PCN to ensure that social prescribing referral codes are inputted to the clinical system and that the person’s use of the NHS can be tracked.
Person Specification
The table indicates the method by which the skills/knowledge/level of competence in each area will be assessed.
ESSENTIAL CRITERIA DESIRABLE CRITERIA
ASSESSMENT METHOD
Application Form Interview Assessment Centre Other
Education and Qualifications
- NVQ Level 3, Advanced level or equivalent qualifications or working towards.
- Demonstrable commitment to professional and personal development.
- Training in motivational coaching and interviewing or equivalent experience.
Experience
- Experience of working within a community, social care or voluntary sector.
- Extensive experience of using Microsoft Word, Excel, Power-point, Outlook (including electronic diary management) and Internet Explorer for a range of different purposes.
- Experience of social prescribing models.
- Experience of using a Patient Management System (e.g. EMIS web) or any other case management systems.
- Experience of working in a multi-disciplinary team.
- Experience of working with voluntary organisations including volunteers.
- Experience of producing individual care plans.
- Experience of managing a caseload.
- Experience of supporting people in a paid or unpaid capacity.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
- Ability to communicate effectively in the written and oral form to develop and maintain constructive relationships with individuals.
- Able to engage with individuals, to identify their service needs and review the quality of service provision.
- An ability to manage conflicting priorities and one’s own time with a minimum of supervision to meet agreed deadlines.
- Influencing and decision making skills.
- Ability to assess risk, anticipate difficulties and successfully address them.
- Demonstrate a commitment to respecting and valuing Patients perspectives and choices.
- Motivated to work towards creating a safe, open and trusting environment.
- Awareness of the issues around working with vulnerable groups and the boundaries of professional relationships.
Work Circumstances
- A commitment to partnership working, inclusion of a diverse workforce and service integration.
- Ability to carry out the physical requirements of the post, with any reasonable adjustment being made under the Equality Act.
- Able to travel across Northwich and to all Practice locations.
Pay: £26,530.00-£29,500.00 per year
Benefits:
- Company pension
- Free parking
- On-site parking
- Sick pay
Work Location: In person
