Social Prescribing Link Worker

**Chester le Street PCN**

**JOB DESCRIPTION**

**POST TITLE: Social Prescriber Link Worker**

**SALARY: Entry point £23,949 pa WTE**

**LOCATION: Based within a Chester le Street GP practice**

**RESPONSIBLE TO: Business Manager/Practice Manager**

Chester le Street GP Practices have a single Primary Care Network (PCN) incorporating all areas of Chester le Street and surrounding villages. The PCN is a collaborative of the 7 GP practices in the area with a registered population of over 60,000 patients

As a Social Prescriber Link Worker you will play a key role in the multi disciplinary teams of the Primary Care Network.

**JOB PURPOSE**:
The main purpose of this post is to deliver a Social Prescribing Service to the patients within the Chester le Street Primary Care Network.

The post holder will join an established team and work with the Practices within the PCN to support patients by providing a patient centred assessment with the aim of addressing all issues that are affecting health and wellbeing. The post holder will ensure Social Prescribing empowers individuals by connecting them to other people, community groups and statutory services that take decisive action to reach positive outcomes.

Social Prescribing has an important role to play in strengthening personal resilience by addressing the wider determinants of health, such as debt, poor housing and physical activity and by increasing people’s active involvement with their local communities. It can have a significant benefit 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.

The job description and person specification are an outline of the tasks, responsibilities and outcomes required of the role. The job holder will carry out any other duties as may reasonable be required by their line manager.

**PRIMARY DUTIES AND AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITIES**

Social prescribing link workers will take referrals from a range of agencies in order to support the health and wellbeing of patients
- assess how far a patient’s health and wellbeing needs can be met by services and other opportunities available in the community;
- co-produce a simple personalised care and support plan to address the patient’s health and wellbeing needs by introducing or reconnecting people to community groups and statutory services;
- evaluate how far the actions in the care and support plan are meeting the individual’s health and wellbeing needs;
- provide personalised support to individuals, their families and carers to take control of their health and wellbeing, live independently and improve their health outcomes;
- develop trusting relationships by giving people time and focus on ‘what matters to them’;
- take a holistic approach, based on the person’s priorities, and the wider determinants of health.

The role will require social prescribing link workers to manage and prioritise their own caseload, in accordance with the health and wellbeing needs of their population. Where required and as appropriate, the social prescribing link workers will refer people back to other health professionals.

The post holder will work as part of the Durham Wellbeing Alliance MDT to triage patients when appropriate and share best practice.

**REFERRALS**:

- Promoting social prescribing and its role in self-management.
- Help to develop the knowledge on how to identify individuals suitable for a social prescribing referral.
- Build relationships with key staff across the PCN and Community teams, attending relevant meetings and being part of the wider network team.
- Be proactive with developing strong links with all local agencies to encourage referrals, recognising what they need to be confident in the service to make an appropriate referral.
- Work with all local agencies to raise awareness of social prescribing and how it can reduce pressure on statutory services, improve health outcomes and enable a holistic approach.
- Be proactive in encouraging self referrals to the Durham Wellbeing Alliance and connecting with all local communities, particularly those communities that statutory agencies may find hard to reach.

**SUPPORTING COMMUNITY GROUPS AND VOLUNTARY ORGANISATIONS**:

- Forge strong links with local voluntary organisations, community and neighbourhood level groups, utilising their networks and building on what is already available to create a map or menu of community groups.
- Develop supportive relationships with local voluntary organisations, community groups and statutory services to make timely, appropriate referrals.
- Ensure that local voluntary organisations and community groups have procedures in place for ensuring that vulnerable individuals are safe and, where there are any safeguarding concerns these are promptly escalated.

**All Post Holders are expected to**:

- Adhere to Practice policies and procedures
- Adhere to data protection regula