Social prescribing link worker

Job Summary

The LivingWell Service empowers people to take control of their health and wellbeing through referral to Social Prescribing Link Workers (SPLWs) who give people the time they need to focus on what matters to them. SPLWs take a holistic approach, connecting people to community groups and statutory services for practical and emotional support. They support existing groups to be accessible and sustainable and help people to start new community groups, working collaboratively with all local partners. SPLWs can help to strengthen community resilience and personal resilience by exploring the wider determinants of health, such as debt, poor housing, physical inactivity, and by increasing people's active involvement with their local communities. Social prescribing 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.

In this position, you will be employed by Primary Healthcare Darlington on behalf of Darlington PCN in a role funded through the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme (ARRS) and the General Practice Network Contract Directed Enhanced Service (2024/25) (the DES). As part of your role, you will work closely with the PCN and the General Practices across Darlington.

Main Duties of the Job

Promoting the Living Well Service and its role in facilitating independence and in building community and personal resilience.

Creating a wellbeing assessment that takes into consideration the role and possible impact of the wider determinants of health on wellbeing.

Building relationships with key staff in GP practices within Darlington, attending relevant meetings, becoming part of the wider network team, giving information and feedback on the role of social prescribing.

Be proactive in developing strong links with all local agencies to encourage referrals, recognising what they need in order to be confident in making appropriate referrals.

Provide referral agencies with regular updates about the development of the service, including training for their staff on how to access information to encourage appropriate referrals.

Be proactive in encouraging self-referrals and connecting with all local communities.

Job Responsibilities

SPLWs join a growing team of Darlington Primary Care Network (PCN) health care professionals who work across the eleven GP Practices that make up the PCN, delivering health and wellbeing interventions at a neighbourhood population level. SPLWs support individuals on a one-to-one basis, via small group work, pop-up sessions and much more. The goal of social prescribing is to connect or re-connect people to the vast array of services, activities and goodwill that exist in local communities.

Key Objectives

To engage, facilitate and support clients to connect to activities that will help to reduce feelings of loneliness and isolation while supporting them to build positive relationships and improved connections with their community.

Improved engagement into a range of provisions and social opportunities.

Support clients to develop in the areas of self-determination, personal resilience and self-motivation thereby supporting their ability to set personal goals and develop aspirations.

Improved understanding of risks to their overall wellbeing, manage and reduce personal risk, increased ability to make positive choices to keep safe and well.

Key Responsibilities

Take referrals from a wide range of agencies including GP Practices within the PCN, pharmacies, multi-disciplinary teams, hospital discharge teams, allied health professionals, fire service, police, job centres, social care services, housing associations, and voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations (list not exhaustive).

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 to focus on what matters to them.

Based on the person's priorities and the impact of the wider determinants of health on their life, you will co-produce a personalised wellbeing plan to improve their health and wellbeing that will include connecting or reconnecting them to community groups and activities and statutory services where appropriate.

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/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.

You will 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. You will work together with all local partners to collectively ensure that local VCSE organisations and community groups are sustainable and that community assets are nurtured, for example by making them aware of small grants or micro-commissioning if available, including providing support to set up new community groups and services, where gaps are identified in local provision.

Qualifications

• GCSE/NVQ level 2/3 or equivalent level of training and experience
• Understanding of basic health and social care terminology
• Proven ability to recognise and manage risk Knowledge of the needs of older people, safeguarding and the associated legislative framework
• Good interpersonal skills
• Ability to communicate confidently with staff at all levels Ability to work well across teams Good time management and an ability to prioritise and work to strict deadlines
• Ability to work on own initiative without direct supervision, understanding where clinical input is needed
• IT skills and experience in the use of Microsoft Office programmes

• Familiarity with IT systems currently in use in health and social care settings

Experience

• Experience in working directly in a community development context, adult health and social care, learning support or public health/health improvement (including unpaid work)
• Experience in supporting people, their families, and carers in a related role (including unpaid work)
• Experience in supporting people with their mental health, either in a paid, unpaid or informal capacity
• Experience in working with the VCSE sector (in a paid or unpaid capacity), including with volunteers and small community groups

• Experience in partnership/collaborative working and of building relationships across a variety of organisations

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.

Employer Details

Employer name

Primary Healthcare Darlington

Address

Forsyth House

20 Woodland Road

Darlington

County Durham

DL3 7PL

United Kingdom

Employer's website

https://primaryhealthcaredarlington.co.uk/

Benefits

• A dedicated Wellbeing Lead and access to a range of wellbeing resources

• Free counselling services for all staff

• Protected time to focus on your professional development

• Access to high-quality training and career progression opportunities

• A friendly, supportive workplace with everyday perks from free tea and coffee to chilled, filtered water

• A culture that values collaboration, compassion, and innovation