Front Door Living Well Link Worker

J O B V A C A N C Y

Front Door Living Well Link Worker

Front Door Service

2 Year Fixed Term Contract (with the possibility of an extension)

35 hours per week, £21, 658 per annum

Age UK Sunderland (AUKS) social prescribing model the “Front Door Service (FDS)” provides low level community-based support for older people with a focus the preventative agenda. This means that older people receive the right support, in the right place at the right time receiving information, early interventions and flexible low-level community-based support to those who do not require intensive or specialised care from statutory services.

The service acts as a conduit to community infrastructure support and assets. The aim of the programme is to increase life expectancy by empowering older people through effective care navigation, working to maximise independence, self-care, wellbeing and reduce social isolation.

The purpose of the Front Door Living Well Link Worker role is to provide an interface between voluntary sector organisations and clients, health and social care and other statutory bodies using a social prescribing model. The post holder will work a specified locality in Sunderland to focus on practical support to encourage the utilisation of services within local communities.

The Living Well Link Worker will support clients through a number of mechanisms such as assisted signposting to services in the community, provide one to one support to help with issues such as arranging for support to access appointments, assist with social contact through interventions such as befriending/Keeping in Touch Services and make referrals to appropriate Age UK Sunderland Services and statutory and voluntary organisations.

A good standard of education at NVQ level 3 level preferably in Health & Social Care is required as well as a sound understanding of data protection and GDPR. The post holders must have at least two years’ experience in health/social care. Excellent IT skills are essential as well as good analytical skills in order to interpret data.

The post holders must be flexible and responsive to the changing needs of individuals and have a creative approach to problem solving.

Key working Relationships:

- AUKS FD Service staff
- Sunderland City Council
- Primary care
- Statutory and Community VCS providers
- Older people
- Carers and Carer Organisations
- Other clinical and non-traditional provider groups as required

**Background**:
Age UK Sunderland (AUKS) social prescribing model the “Front Door Service (FDS)” provides low level community based support for older people with a focus the preventative agenda. This means that older people receive the right support, in the right place at the right time receiving information, early interventions and flexible low-level community-based support to those who do not require intensive or specialised care from statutory services.

The FDS will act as a conduit to community infrastructure support and assets.

Self
- Care and Sustainability

The integration of the self-care agenda will be achieved by working across Sunderland to implement a whole system approach to increase health life expectancy, make every contact count and maximise resources to improve outcomes for older people. This includes:

- Investing in empowering local older people through effective care navigation
- Peer support
- Mentoring/self-management programmes to maximise independence/wellbeing
- Helping to identify/combat social isolation

This will encourage older people to:

- Take more control over their own health
- Achieve maximum independence
- Live longer, healthier more fulfilling lives

The purpose of the FDS is to put older people in personal control of their health & wellbeing and provide them with support in their local community, focusing on prevention of ill health and the promotion of wellbeing.

The FDS will enable older people to have improved health outcomes and independence whilst reducing the burden on NHS & Social Care services in Sunderland.

The FDS supports:

- Residents of the City of Sunderland
- Older people with no formal health & social care support from statutory services or those who would not qualify for local authority social care
- Older people who require low level social and signposting support and practical information
- People who are caring for family, friends and neighbours

The FDS does not work with people who:

- Have complex health and social care needs including those with high level support needs in mental health and learning disabilities whose needs would be better met by other agencies. The FDS will act as a referral agent for this group
- Require high intensity or complex care interventions. These referrals will be passed to social work and community health teams for professional assessment

FDS support is for a maximum of 12 weeks (although community infrastructure services support will be ongoing).

**Purpose of the post**:
The post provides an inter