Social Prescriber

Social Prescribers play an important role within a Primary Care Network (PCN) to proactively identify and work with people, including the frail/elderly and those with long-term conditions, to provide coordination and navigation of care and support across health and care services. The team aim is to improve care for patients by working collaboratively across primary care. The team also work to develop and support individual GP practices, PCNs and Neighbourhoods and their changing needs. General capacity across primary care is being expanded rapidly.

Social prescribing empowers people to take control of their health and wellbeing through referral to link workers who give time, focus on what matters to me and take a holistic approach to an individuals health and wellbeing, connecting people to diverse community groups and statutory services for practical and emotional support. Link workers also support existing groups to be accessible and sustainable and help people to start new community groups, working collaboratively with all local diverse partners. Social prescribers workers work as a key part of the PCN multi-disciplinary team. Social prescribing help PCNs to strengthen community and personal resilience, reduce health inequalities (in relation to timely access and outcomes) and wellbeing inequalities by addressing the wider determinants of health, such as debt, poor housing and physical inactivity, by increasing peoples active involvement with their local diverse communities.

This role is an integral part of the PCNs multidisciplinary team, working alongside care coordinators and health and wellbeing coaches to provide an all-encompassing approach to personalised care and promoting and embedding the personalised care approach across the PCN. There may be a need to work remotely depending on the requirements of the role. Please note that the role of a Social Prescriber is not a clinical role.