Social Prescriber

Promote social prescribing, its role in self-management, and the wider determinants of health. As part of the PCN multi-disciplinary team, build relationships with staff in GP practices within the local PCN, attending relevant MDT meetings, giving information and feedback on social prescribing. 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. Work in partnership with all 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 wellbeing.

Provide referral agencies with regular updates about social prescribing, including training for their staff and how to access information to encourage appropriate referrals. Seek regular feedback about the quality of service and impact of social prescribing on referral agencies. Be proactive in encouraging self-referrals and connecting with all local communities, particularly those communities that statutory agencies may find hard to reach. Provide personalised support Meet people on a one-to-one basis, making home visits where appropriate within organisations policies and procedures.

Give people time to tell their stories and focus on what matters to me. Build trust with the person, providing non-judgemental support, respecting diversity and lifestyle choices. Work from a strength-based approach focusing on a persons assets. Be a friendly source of information about health, wellbeing and prevention approaches.

Help people identify the wider issues that impact on their health and wellbeing, such as debt, poor housing, being unemployed, loneliness and caring responsibilities. Work with the person, their families and carers and consider how they can all be supported through social prescribing. Help people maintain or regain independence through life skills, adaptations, enablement approaches and simple safeguards. Work with individuals to co-produce a simple personalised support plan to address the persons health and wellbeing needs based on the persons priorities, interests, values and motivations including what they can expect from the groups, activities and services they are being connected to and what the person can do for themselves to improve their health and wellbeing.

Where appropriate, physically introduce people to community groups, activities and statutory services, ensuring they are comfortable. Follow up to ensure they are happy, able to engage, included and receiving good support. Where people may be eligible for a personal health budget, help them to explore this option as a way of providing funded, personalised support to be independent, including helping people to gain skills for meaningful employment, where appropriate. Seek advice and support from the GP supervisor and/or identified individual(s) to discuss patient-related concerns (e.g., abuse, domestic violence, and support with mental health), referring the patient back to the GP or other suitable health professional if required.