Social Prescriber

Job summary

The Social Prescriber works alongside a team within general practice and within the Primary Care Network (PCN) and empowers people to take control of their health and well-being.

A referral to a Social Prescriber is designed to support patients in being able to take a holistic approach, connecting people to community groups and statutory services for practical and emotional support and to develop the knowledge, skills, and confidence to manage their health and well-being .

The post holder will be an integral part of the general practice team, working in each practice and across the PCN, as well as part of a wider community groups and their multidisciplinary teams.

Social prescribing and health coaching can help to strengthen community resilience and personal resilience whilst reducing health inequalities by addressing the wider determinants of health such as debt, poor housing, physical inactivity and by increasing peoples active involvement with their local communities.

This role can be particularly beneficial to patients with long-term conditions, those with mental health issues and those who are lonely or isolated or who have complex social needs which affect their health and wellbeing.

Main duties of the job

Social prescribing is a way of linking people to sources of support within the community. It provides health and social care professionals with non-medical / non-service focused options that can operate alongside existing treatments or care packages to improve health and wellbeing. Our aim is to support local people to live well and stay well, promote healthy life-styles and provide opportunities for socialization, skill sharing, health education and emotional support.

You will provide a central point of contact for patients in Primary Care, linking them with sources of support within local communities by developing robust processes and pathways for social prescribing as described as a key objective in the NHS 10 year plan.

As a Health and Wellbeing Coach you will work as a key part of the practice multi-disciplinary team. You will consider the whole person in addressing existing issues and encouraging the proactive prevention of new illnesses, promoting lifestyle medicine approaches. Health coaching revolves around using your coaching skills to support people with lower levels of patient activation to develop the knowledge, skills, and confidence to manage their health and wellbeing, whilst increasing their ability to access and utilise community support offers.

About us

Beacon Medical Group Practice is a single practice, Primary Care Network (PCN), providing care to 43,000 patients across Plympton and the South Hams. We are a team of Partners, Salaried GPs, Paramedics, Clinical Pharmacists, Pharmacy Technicians, , Practice and specialist Nurses, HCAs, Phlebotomists, First Contact Physios, Social Prescribers, Advanced Clinical Practitioners, Clinical Practitioners and Administrative support staff. Our mission is to give all our patients the right care, at the right time, in the right place. We are a forward thinking partnership always looking for opportunities to improve services for our patients. We have a good reputation for delivering good healthcare, leading at scale and innovating primary care services. This is a really exciting time to be joining us as we diversify our teams, our partnership and services.

If you join our team; you will receive support, opportunities to grow in your role, training, and work with colleagues who care about you.

Job description

Job responsibilities

KeyResponsibilities:

Social prescribing is a way of linking people to sources of supportwithin the community. It provides health and social care professionals withnon-medical / non-service focused options that can operate alongside existingtreatments or care packages to improve health and wellbeing. Our aim is to support local people to livewell and stay well, promote healthy life-styles and provide opportunities forsocialization, skill sharing, health education and emotional support.

You will provide a central point of contact for patients in PrimaryCare, linking them with sources of support within local communities bydeveloping robust processes and pathways for social prescribing as described asa key objective in the NHS 10 year plan.

As a Health and Wellbeing Coach you will work as akey part of the practice multi-disciplinary team. You will consider the wholeperson in addressing existing issues and encouraging the proactive preventionof new illnesses, promoting lifestyle medicine approaches. Health coachingrevolves around using your coaching skills to support people with lower levelsof patient activation to develop the knowledge, skills, and confidence tomanage their health and wellbeing, whilst increasing their ability to access andutilise community support offers.

This is an innovative role designed to work in an outcome focused way toimprove peoples quality of life, health and wellbeing by recognizing that thiscan be affected by a range of social, economic and environmental factors.Supporting patients and their Carers to achieve their personal aspirationsparticipate in their local and wider communities, enhance effective personalsupport networks, enabling individuals to maintain healthy lifestyles; and leadindependent and fulfilled lives

Receiving and actioning referrals from a wide range of agencies: GPpractice, pharmacies, multi-disciplinaryteams, hospital discharge teams, allied health professionals, fire service,police, social care services, housing associations, and voluntaryorganizations. (List not exhaustive).

Working as a member of a Social PrescribingTeam, supporting the team with information sharing, learning and outcomes and maintaining accurate records andutilising outcome measures as required by the Social Prescribing Service.

Signposting adults who have been identified as those who could benefitfrom the Social Prescribing Service including those who are frail and sociallyisolated to services within thecommunity including social, recreational and nonmedical support within thecommunity which may help them to improve their health and wellbeing. You willbe required to meet with patients for one-to-one appointments, by phone or bywebcam to discuss local sources of support that may benefit them.

Working with adults with mild to moderate mental health, learningdifficulties, learning disabilities, anxiety and depression. Providingpersonalized support to individuals, their families and carers to enable themto take control of their wellbeing, live independently and improve their healthoutcomes. Develop trusting relationships by giving people time and focus onwhat matters to them. Taking a holistic approach, based on the personspriorities and the wider determinants of health.

Assess the patients abilities and preferences, thinking laterally andthen advising and supporting them in a variety of areas/activities. Advocatingfor the patient if needed. Being sensitive to barriers to adopting a healthierlifestyle such as affordability, accessibility and life circumstances.Encouraging choices and actions that is acceptable and achievable to patientswhile being aware of cultural and social considerations.

Support patients to recognize and change their current lifestyle and toidentify how their way of life might affect their health and well-being.

Working alongside and collaborating with existing local partners:Primary Care Mental Health Team, St Lukes Listening Service, Physiotherapy etc.

Educating non-clinical and clinical staff within the Practice on whatother services is available within the community and how and when patients canaccess them.

To support the monitoring of service access and increased load oncommunity services that are used by the Social Prescribing Service, to supportthe recording of unmet needs, and the development of ideas in trying to findways of increasing service provision as much as is reasonable, within the localcommunity.

Participate in regular supervision and an annual appraisal process,review yearly progress and develop clear plans to achieve results withinpriorities set by others. It is vital that the Social Prescriber has a strongawareness and understanding of when it is appropriate or necessary to referpeople back to other health professionals or agencies.

To be responsible for yourown continuing self-development, undertaking training as appropriate.

To undertake other duties appropriateto the grading of the post as required.

Must be able to work flexible hours.

Organisation:

Provide education and specialist expertise tofellow PCN staff, ensuring they are made aware of health coaching and socialprescribing services and support colleagues to improve their skills andunderstanding of personalised care, behavioural approaches, and ensuringconsistency in the follow up of peoples goals where an MDT is involved.

Raise awareness within the PCN of shared decisionmaking and decision support tools and supporting people in shareddecision-making conversations.

Engage with and support the new and evolvingagendas and service requirements across the PCN, including our work with CareHomes.

As part of the PCN multi-disciplinary team, buildrelationships with staff in GP practices within the local PCN, attendingrelevant MDT meetings, giving information and feedback on health coaching.

Alongside other members of the PCNmulti-disciplinary team, work collaboratively with all local diverse partnersto contribute towards supporting the local VCSE organisations and communitygroups to become sustainable and that community assets are nurtured, throughsharing intelligence regarding any gaps or problems identified in localprovision with commissioners and local authorities.

Work sensitively with people, their families andcarers to capture key information, enabling tracking of the impact of healthcoaching on their health and wellbeing, including the measures required withinthe PCN Contract ( PAM measures)

Encourage people, their families and carers toprovide feedback and to share their stories about the impact of socialprescribing and health coaching on their lives.

Work closely within the MDT and with GP practiceswithin the PCN to ensure that the relevant codes are captured and inputted intoclinical systems, (as outlined in the Network Contract DES), adhering to dataprotection legislation and data sharing agreements.

Contribute to the development of policies and plansrelating to equality, diversity and health inequalities.

Key Working Relationships:

Teamwork isessential in multi-disciplinary environments. Effective communication isessential and all staff must ensure they communicate in a manner which enablesthe sharing of information in an appropriate manner.

All staff willunderstand the significance of collaborative working.

In order tofulfil your role and for the collective benefit of patients, you will beexpected to develop positive working relationships with a wide range ofcolleagues and stakeholders as follows:

PCN SocialPrescribing Lead

Clinicalsupervisor

OperationsManagers

GP practice teams

Peer health andwellbeing coaches working in other PCNs and practices

PCN employedstaff such as clinical pharmacists, first contact physios, etc.

Patients andtheir representatives

GP federationoperational and clinical delivery teams

CCG colleagues

Local health andwellbeing events and services

Localprofessional networks to benefit from peer support and enhance collaborativeworking relationships.

You will be required to undertake a DBS check.

Health and Safety:

Ensureall members of staff comply with the Groups health and safety policy

Carryout risk assessments to comply with current Health and Safety legislation

Ensureany health and safety concerns are reported to the Operations Manager

To be aware of and adhere to applicablepractice rules, regulations, legislation and procedures, national legislation(Health and Safety, COSHH, Data Protection).

Equality and Diversity:

Thepost-holder will support the equality, diversity and rights of patients, carersand colleagues

Actin a way that recognises the importance of peoples rights, interpreting themin a way that is consistent with group processes and policies and currentlegislation

Respectingthe privacy, dignity, needs and beliefs of patients, carers and colleagues

Behavingin a manner that is welcoming, non-judgemental and respects the individualscircumstances, feelings, priorities and rights

Thedetails contained in this job description are not exhaustive and may change asthe post develops.

Governance:

Identify and record risks and issues,developing contingency plans with service and contract leads

Ensure the PCN is compliant with health andsafety policies and procedures to reflect current best practice

Ensure that the PCN board and Clinicaldirector adhere to the governance structure as set out in the network agreement

Confidentiality:

To maintain confidentiality ofinformation acquired in the course of undertaking duties for the practice.

Person Specification

Experience

Essential

Experience of working with health sector and multiple stakeholders Experience of giving advice/education to individuals with long term conditions An understanding of the needs and problems older, vulnerable and disabled adults may have Experience of supporting people, their families and carers in a related role (can include unpaid work)

Desirable

Knowledge of the range of services available locally Experience of social prescribing and/or health coaching Experience of designing and implementing new initiatives

Qualifications

Essential

Has undertaken Social Prescribing learning for link workers programme (HEE) Experience of working with health sector and multiple stakeholders Understanding of the determinants of health to include social, economic and environmental factors GCSE A-C in English and Maths

Desirable

Social care qualification such as a Level 2 or 3 Diploma in Health and Social Care, or knowledge in a specific area of support such as employment, social isolation, mental health, housing or physical activity.

The Groups Values

Essential

The candidate must demonstrate an understanding of our values.

Skills

Essential

Ability to communicate well with patients, carers, volunteers, colleagues and with professional staff in other organisations. Demonstrate a willingness to participate in shaping the future of the organisation by taking on responsibilities and projects in addition to core workload Excellent interpersonal, influencing and negotiation skills organisation skills with the ability to work to tight deadlines. Excellent administration skills Good IT skills Ability to maintain confidentiality Ability to use own initiative, discretion and sensitivity Full driving license

Desirable

Ability to work under pressure and to meet deadlines

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