Job summary At its heart, this job is about helping people work out what they themselves need to improve their health and wellbeing, and then supporting them to make practical and realistic plans to change things for the better. The role very much involves helping the person connect into their own local community networks of family, friends, and organisations, and helping the person navigate more traditional health and social care services when needed. This vacancy is for the Social Prescriber linked to Staploe Medical Centre in Soham - a well-established, friendly, and highly-respected GP Practice looking after over 20,000 patients. The post-holder will manage their own caseload, with the majority of referrals coming from the GPs and the team at Staploe. Much of the day-to-day work is done via phone and email, and client notes saved in the GP clinical system, but our Social Prescribers are also expected to work in the community, visiting patients at home and attending meetings as and when needed. Main duties of the job The post-holder will work directly one-to-one with patients registered at Staploe Medical Centre who need help with non-medical aspects of their lives. This will include supporting people with emotional, social and practical support, including: getting help with housing getting help with transport, mobility, and accessibility accessing advice around money, debt, and benefits managing forms and correspondence making meaningful social connections connecting with mental health services and social services maintaining healthy lifestyles, activities, and exercise finding and maintaining employment and meaningful activities getting help with activities of daily living and assistive technology Getting help with any family or caring responsibilities they may have. The Social Prescriber is not expected to be expert in each and every area above, but is expected to be a skilled generalist: able to rapidly get a good understanding of the patients own views, needs, and wishes, know what help is available, and how to access it. Furthermore, over time, Social Prescribers develop a detailed picture and understanding of their local community - what's available, what isn't, what works, and what doesn't and this intelligence helps identify areas of greatest need and the priorities for community development. Many of our Social Prescribers have had great success working with others to set up groups and activities in their local GP patches. About us Primary Care Networks formed in 2019, grouping General Practices into local clusters, with the aim of supporting Practices and driving improvements in population health and wellbeing at a community level. Ely PCNs are a network of six of the eight GP Practices in East Cambridgeshire and, in total, look after the 82,000 patients registered at one of our six GP Practices: Cathedral Medical Centre, Ely St Marys Surgery, Ely St Georges Medical Centre, Littleport Burwell Surgery, Burwell Haddenham Surgery, Haddenham Staploe Medical Centre, Soham Working alongside the GP Practice teams, Ely PCNs support 50 staff, including Social Prescribers, First Contact Physios, Care Coordinators, Health and Wellbeing Coaches, a Recovery Coach, Pharmacy Technicians, and Clinical Pharmacists. Ely PCNs has a full-time manager, a Lead Nurse, and GP Leads for Diabetes, Frailty, Heart failure, and Mental Health. We have two forward-thinking Clinical Directors and excellent relationships with our local partner organisations. We have a reputation as an innovative PCN that can successfully deliver. Initiatives we support include a breastfeeding support project for new parents, a project for young people who have experienced domestic violence, and a rapid-response substance misuse worker, and a community heart failure clinic, as well as facilitating an Enhanced Access out of hours service and the local Covid vaccination programmes. Date posted 24 October 2024 Pay scheme Other Salary £30,385 a year Contract Permanent Working pattern Full-time, Flexible working, Home or remote working Reference number A4430-24-0011 Job locations Staploe Medical Centre Brewhouse Lane Soham Ely Cambridgeshire CB7 5JD Job description Job responsibilities At its heart, this job is about helping people work out what they themselves need to improve their health and wellbeing, and then supporting them to make practical and realistic plans to change things for the better. The role very much involves helping the person connect into their own local community networks of family, friends, and organisations, and helping the person navigate more traditional health and social care services when needed. Over the last four years, our Social Prescribing Link Workers have become key members of our GP Practice teams - highly valued and appreciated by the GPs and Practice team colleagues, and also by the frontline staff from other organisations working across the East Cambridgeshire neighbourhood. This vacancy is for the Social Prescriber linked to Staploe Medical Centre in Soahm - a well-established, friendly, and highly-respected GP Practice looking after over 20,000 patients. The post-holder will manage their own caseload, with the majority of referrals coming from the GPs and the team at Staploe. Much of the day-to-day work is done via phone and email, and client notes saved in the GP clinical system, but our Social Prescribers are also expected to work in the community, visiting patients at home and attending meetings as and when needed. The post-holder will work directly one-to-one with patients registered at Staploe Medical Centre who need help with non-medical aspects of their lives. This will include supporting people with emotional, social and practical support, including: getting help with housing getting help with transport, mobility, and accessibility accessing advice around money, debt, and benefits managing forms and correspondence making meaningful social connections connecting with mental health services and social services maintaining healthy lifestyles, activities, and exercise finding and maintaining employment and meaningful activities getting help with activities of daily living and assistive technology Getting help with any family or caring responsibilities they may have. The Social Prescriber is not expected to be expert in each and every area above, but is expected to be a skilled generalist: able to rapidly get a good understanding of the patients own views, needs, and wishes, know what help is available, and how to access it. Furthermore, over time, Social Prescribers develop a detailed picture and understanding of their local community - what's available, what isn't, what works, and what doesn't and this intelligence helps identify areas of greatest need and the priorities for community development. Many of our Social Prescribers have had great success working with others to set up groups and activities in their local GP patches. Every week, Social Prescribers meet with colleagues from other organisations, at our East Cambs Neighbourhood Wellness Hub, to share ideas and discuss solutions for any patients who are facing particularly complex life challenges. This is proving a very supportive and effective way of working. The detailed job description is attached. Job description Job responsibilities At its heart, this job is about helping people work out what they themselves need to improve their health and wellbeing, and then supporting them to make practical and realistic plans to change things for the better. The role very much involves helping the person connect into their own local community networks of family, friends, and organisations, and helping the person navigate more traditional health and social care services when needed. Over the last four years, our Social Prescribing Link Workers have become key members of our GP Practice teams - highly valued and appreciated by the GPs and Practice team colleagues, and also by the frontline staff from other organisations working across the East Cambridgeshire neighbourhood. This vacancy is for the Social Prescriber linked to Staploe Medical Centre in Soahm - a well-established, friendly, and highly-respected GP Practice looking after over 20,000 patients. The post-holder will manage their own caseload, with the majority of referrals coming from the GPs and the team at Staploe. Much of the day-to-day work is done via phone and email, and client notes saved in the GP clinical system, but our Social Prescribers are also expected to work in the community, visiting patients at home and attending meetings as and when needed. The post-holder will work directly one-to-one with patients registered at Staploe Medical Centre who need help with non-medical aspects of their lives. This will include supporting people with emotional, social and practical support, including: getting help with housing getting help with transport, mobility, and accessibility accessing advice around money, debt, and benefits managing forms and correspondence making meaningful social connections connecting with mental health services and social services maintaining healthy lifestyles, activities, and exercise finding and maintaining employment and meaningful activities getting help with activities of daily living and assistive technology Getting help with any family or caring responsibilities they may have. The Social Prescriber is not expected to be expert in each and every area above, but is expected to be a skilled generalist: able to rapidly get a good understanding of the patients own views, needs, and wishes, know what help is available, and how to access it. Furthermore, over time, Social Prescribers develop a detailed picture and understanding of their local community - what's available, what isn't, what works, and what doesn't and this intelligence helps identify areas of greatest need and the priorities for community development. Many of our Social Prescribers have had great success working with others to set up groups and activities in their local GP patches. Every week, Social Prescribers meet with colleagues from other organisations, at our East Cambs Neighbourhood Wellness Hub, to share ideas and discuss solutions for any patients who are facing particularly complex life challenges. This is proving a very supportive and effective way of working. The detailed job description is attached. Person Specification Qualifications Essential GCSE grade C or equivalent in Maths and English. Desirable Further qualification in Social Prescribing or a related health and social care area. Additional criteria Essential Ability to travel and work with clients in the community. Satisfactory references from two previous employers. Satisfactory result on Enhanced CDS check. Experience Essential Although no formal qualifications in Social Prescribing are needed to apply, the successful candidate will be enthusiastic about supporting individuals and communities, and committed to equality, social inclusion, and strengths-based, person-centred approaches. They will be able to demonstrate some experience in this area. The post-holder will need to have excellent communication skills and be comfortable using IT. Problem-solving, pragmatism, and patient-focus are essential to the success of this role, as is the ability to build honest, non-judgemental, boundaried and professional relationships with clients and colleagues. Desirable Experience of working in General Practice / Community Care / Voluntary & Community Sector / Social Care. Person Specification Qualifications Essential GCSE grade C or equivalent in Maths and English. Desirable Further qualification in Social Prescribing or a related health and social care area. Additional criteria Essential Ability to travel and work with clients in the community. Satisfactory references from two previous employers. Satisfactory result on Enhanced CDS check. Experience Essential Although no formal qualifications in Social Prescribing are needed to apply, the successful candidate will be enthusiastic about supporting individuals and communities, and committed to equality, social inclusion, and strengths-based, person-centred approaches. They will be able to demonstrate some experience in this area. The post-holder will need to have excellent communication skills and be comfortable using IT. Problem-solving, pragmatism, and patient-focus are essential to the success of this role, as is the ability to build honest, non-judgemental, boundaried and professional relationships with clients and colleagues. Desirable Experience of working in General Practice / Community Care / Voluntary & Community Sector / Social Care. Disclosure and Barring Service Check This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions. Employer details Employer name Ely PCNs Address Staploe Medical Centre Brewhouse Lane Soham Ely Cambridgeshire CB7 5JD Employer's website https://www.meresidemedical.nhs.uk/about/primary-care-networks/ (Opens in a new tab)