Social Prescriber

Job summary

Maidenhead Primary Care Network, is a group of 9 GPPractices working together with a range of local providers to offer morepersonalised and coordinated health and social care to the 70000 patientpopulation of Maidenhead in Berkshire.

We are looking to recruit to the post of SocialPrescriber, to work within our Primary Care Network multidisciplinaryhealthcare team

Main duties of the job

The successful candidate will play a key role inproactively identifying and working with people, including the frail/elderlyand those with long-term conditions, to provide coordination and navigation ofcare and support across health and care services.

They will work closely with GPs and practice teams,making sure that appropriate support is made available to people; supportingthem to understand and manage their condition and ensuring their changing needsare addressed. They will enable people to access the services and support theyrequire to meet their health and wellbeing needs, helping to improve peoplesquality of life.

They will work alongside care coordinators and health and wellbeing coaches to provide an all-encompassing approach topersonalised care and enable people navigate through the health and caresystem.

The post holder will work with a diverse range of peoplefrom different cultural and social backgrounds. The ability to work confidentlyand effectively in a varied, and sometimes challenging environment isessential.

The successful candidate will have excellentinterpersonal and communication skills, and be organised, patient andempathetic. They will have experience of working in health, social care orother support roles including direct contact with people, families or carers

About us

Maidenhead Primary Care Network has been successfullydelivering at scale Care to the population of Maidenhead for 2 years. We have alarge team of both clinical and none clinical staff.

While each Social Prescriber will become embedded in upto 3 Practices, they frequently enjoy a mutually supportive joint approach towork with other members of the 18 strong PCN ProActive Care Team. TheTeam benefit from both practice and PCN supervision and training.

We hope you will decide to join us

Job description

Job responsibilities

Social Prescribers play an important role within aPrimary Care Network (PCN) to proactively identify and work with people,including the frail/elderly and those with long-term conditions, to providecoordination and navigation of care and support across health and careservices.

The team aim is to improve care for patients by workingcollaboratively across primary care. The team also work to develop and supportindividual 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 oftheir health and wellbeing through referral to link workers who give time,focus on what matters to me and take a holistic approach to an individualshealth and wellbeing, connecting people to diverse community groups andstatutory services for practical and emotional support. Link workers alsosupport existing groups to be accessible and sustainable and help people tostart new community groups, working collaboratively with all local diversepartners.

Social prescribers workers work as a key part of the PCNmulti-disciplinary team. Social prescribing help PCNs to strengthen communityand personal resilience, reduce health inequalities (in relation to timely accessand outcomes) and wellbeing inequalities by addressing the wider determinantsof health, such as debt, poor housing and physical inactivity, by increasingpeoples active involvement with their local diverse communities. Itparticularly works for people with long term conditions (including support formental health), for people who are lonely or isolated, or have complex socialneeds which affect their wellbeing. The successful candidate will work for thePCN to deliver a coordinated and high-quality social prescribing Link Workerservice supporting clients to access and engage with the extensive range ofsupport in the community. The successful candidate will manage a caseload ofclients through assessment to onward-referral, working with clients in the practicethat have been referred by the GP. They will provide ongoing support for anallocated timeframe to promote engagement with identified services andachievement of goals.

This role is an integral part of the PCNsmultidisciplinary team, working alongside care coordinators andhealth and wellbeing coaches to provide an all-encompassing approach topersonalised care and promoting and embedding the personalised care approachacross the PCN.

There may be a need to work remotely dependingon the requirements of the role. Please note that the role of a SocialPrescriber is not a clinical role.

Person Specification

Experience

Essential

Experience of working in health, social care and other support roles in direct contact with people, families or carers (in a paid or voluntary capacity) Experience of supporting people, their families and carers in a related role Strong organisational and written skills, including planning, prioritising, time management and record keeping

Desirable

Knowledge of Safeguarding Children and Vulnerable Adults policies and processes

Qualifications

Essential

Experience of working in health, social care and other support roles in direct contact with people, families or carers (in a paid or voluntary capacity) Experience of supporting people, their families and carers in a related role Strong organisational and written skills, including planning, prioritising, time management and record keeping

Desirable

Knowledge of Safeguarding Children and Vulnerable Adults policies and processes

---