Job summary We are looking to recruit to the post of Social Prescribing link worker, to work within our primary care network in North Warks Rural PCN, which covers the areas of Tamworth/Kingsbury/Coleshill and Nuneaton. The primary area of work would be in the Tamworth/Kingsbury/Coleshill area. This role involves working in a multi-disciplinary healthcare team, providing 1:1 personalised support to people who are referred to them by team members and local agencies. The post would potentially lead to some project work and involvement in specialist clinics to support the PCN in targeted work to improve the health outcomes of their population. This is a varied and interesting role in a developing area and would suit someone who likes new challenges and a diverse working environment, involving a number of stakeholders. The person would enjoy working across multiple environments including GP surgeries, visiting people at home and supporting people into community activities and events, therefore travelling by car between sites is an integral part of the role. Being proactive and adaptable to changing situations will be a something that you enjoy and can take in your stride. Interviews to be held w/c 3rd March 2025 The role will require patient facing work in a GP surgery, community setting or remote visiting. THIS ROLE REQUIRES YOU TO HOLD A DRIVING LICENCE AND HAVE ACCESS TO A VEHICLE, PLEASE ONLY APPLY IF YOU MEET THIS CRITERIA Main duties of the job This post empowers people to take control of their health and wellbeing by giving time to focus on what matters to me. The social prescribing link worker will build trusting relationships with people, create a shared personalised care and support plan and connect them to local, diverse and culturally appropriate community groups, VCSE organisations and services. They will also work with a diverse range of partners to provide support to community groups and VCSE organisations involved in social prescribing. This role helps people to work on their wider health and wellbeing, specifically addressing health access and outcomes and wider determinants of their health, such as debt, poor housing and physical inactivity, as well as other lifestyle issues and low-level mental health concerns by increasing peoples active involvement with their local communities. This approach particularly helps people with long term conditions (including support for mental health), people who are lonely or isolated, or who have complex social needs which affect their wellbeing. You must be a good listener, have time for people and be committed to supporting local communities to care for each other. You should have experience of working positively with people facing complex social and emotional challenges. You will have great interpersonal skills in supporting people, community groups and local organisations. About us The Coventry and Rugby GP Alliance is a private company limited by shares, wholly owned by local Coventry and Rugby GP practices. As a GP led organisation, we represent 54 GP practice shareholders and cover nearly 420,000 patients. We describe our work in terms of Supporting, Innovating, Developing and Educating - we are on the S.I.D.E. of general practice and we have developed our Operational Plan to describe what we do to ensure that we continue to deliver high quality, accessible and responsive services for both practices and patients. We have identified key areas that we will focus on to build upon and improve our existing services. These are our Strategic Priorities: Clinical Service Improvement & Delivery Clinical Innovation Primary Care Development Practice and Network Support Training and Education Integrated Care Good Governance The CRGPA offers excellent company benefits including: NHS company pension, Occupational sick pay Annual leave 27 days a year plus bank holidays, rising to 33 days after 10 years. Vivup Scheme including Employee Assistance Programme and various discounts to national retailers and NHS Date posted 31 January 2025 Pay scheme Other Salary £29,970 a year Contract Permanent Working pattern Full-time Reference number E0046-25-0011 Job locations 1 The Boiler House, Electric Wharf Sandy Lane Coventry CV1 4JU Job description Job responsibilities Knowledge of the personalized care approach and providing personalized support Work alongside individuals to identify goals and formulate simple care plans to support their wellbeing. Meet people on a one-to-one basis, making home visits where appropriate within organizations policies and procedures. Give people time to tell their stories and focus on what matters to me. Build trust and respect with the person, providing non-judgmental and non-discriminatory support, respecting diversity and lifestyle choices. Work from a strength-based approach focusing on a persons assets. Help people identify the wider issues that impact on their health and wellbeing, such as debt, poor housing, being unemployed, loneliness and caring responsibilities. Work with the person, their families and carers and consider how they can all be supported through social prescribing. Help people maintain or regain independence through living skills, adaptations, enablement approaches and simple safeguards. Work with individuals to co-produce a simple personalized support plan to address the persons health and wellbeing needs based on the persons priorities, interests, values, cultural and religious/faith needs and motivations including what they can expect from the groups, activities and services they are being connected to and what the person can do for themselves to improve their health and wellbeing. Where appropriate, physically introduce people to culturally appropriate community groups, activities, and statutory services, ensuring they are comfortable, feel valued and respected. Follow up to ensure they are happy, able to engage, included and receiving good support. Build relationships with key staff within the PCN, attending relevant meetings, becoming part of the wider network team, giving information and feedback on social prescribing. Be proactive and work in partnership with all local agencies to raise awareness of social prescribing and how partnership working can reduce pressure on statutory services, improve health outcomes and enable a holistic approach to care. Provide teams within the PCN with regular updates about social prescribing, including training for their staff and how to access information to encourage appropriate referrals and seek regular feedback. Organize and prioritize workload Support community groups and VCSE organizations to receive referrals Work collectively with all local partners to ensure community groups are strong and sustainable, identifying gaps in provision of services in the community. Data capture: The post holder is responsible for maintaining accurate records using the Practices Clinical System. Job description Job responsibilities Knowledge of the personalized care approach and providing personalized support Work alongside individuals to identify goals and formulate simple care plans to support their wellbeing. Meet people on a one-to-one basis, making home visits where appropriate within organizations policies and procedures. Give people time to tell their stories and focus on what matters to me. Build trust and respect with the person, providing non-judgmental and non-discriminatory support, respecting diversity and lifestyle choices. Work from a strength-based approach focusing on a persons assets. Help people identify the wider issues that impact on their health and wellbeing, such as debt, poor housing, being unemployed, loneliness and caring responsibilities. Work with the person, their families and carers and consider how they can all be supported through social prescribing. Help people maintain or regain independence through living skills, adaptations, enablement approaches and simple safeguards. Work with individuals to co-produce a simple personalized support plan to address the persons health and wellbeing needs based on the persons priorities, interests, values, cultural and religious/faith needs and motivations including what they can expect from the groups, activities and services they are being connected to and what the person can do for themselves to improve their health and wellbeing. Where appropriate, physically introduce people to culturally appropriate community groups, activities, and statutory services, ensuring they are comfortable, feel valued and respected. Follow up to ensure they are happy, able to engage, included and receiving good support. Build relationships with key staff within the PCN, attending relevant meetings, becoming part of the wider network team, giving information and feedback on social prescribing. Be proactive and work in partnership with all local agencies to raise awareness of social prescribing and how partnership working can reduce pressure on statutory services, improve health outcomes and enable a holistic approach to care. Provide teams within the PCN with regular updates about social prescribing, including training for their staff and how to access information to encourage appropriate referrals and seek regular feedback. Organize and prioritize workload Support community groups and VCSE organizations to receive referrals Work collectively with all local partners to ensure community groups are strong and sustainable, identifying gaps in provision of services in the community. Data capture: The post holder is responsible for maintaining accurate records using the Practices Clinical System. Person Specification Experience Essential Experience of working directly in a community development context, adult health and social care, learning support or public health/health improvement, supporting vulnerable groups; (including unpaid work) Experience of supporting people, their families and carers in a related role (including unpaid work) Experience of managing a caseload of individuals Experience of working with the VCSE sector (in a paid or unpaid capacity), including with volunteers and small community groups Experience of data collection and using tools to measure the impact of services Experience of partnership/collaborative working and of building relationships across a variety of organisations Experience of completing holistic person-centred care planning assessments Experience of reflective practise and understanding its important Experienced and confident in the delivery of lifestyle change interventions Knowledge of the personalised care approach Desirable Local knowledge of VCSE and community services in the locality Qualifications Essential Applicants educated to a minimum NVQ level 3 in a relevant subject area or similar level or equivalent qualification. Demonstrable commitment to professional and personal development Desirable Level 6 qualification, degree or equivalent Training in motivational coaching and interviewing or equivalent Skills and Attributes Essential Ability to work flexibly, dynamically and enthusiastically within a team or on own initiative Have a pro-active problem-solving approach to situations seeking out solutions in a wide variety of ways and places. Adaptable to ongoing changes of both patients and service needs. Ability to actively listen, empathise with people and provide person-centred support in a non-judgemental way Ability to maintain effective working relationships and to promote collaborative practice with all colleagues Can demonstrate personal accountability, emotional resilience, and ability to work well under pressure Understanding of the wider determinants of health, including social, economic and environmental factors and their impact on communities, individuals, their families and carers Understanding of, and commitment to, equality, diversity and inclusion. Knowledge of IT systems, including ability to use word processing skills, emails and the internet to create simple plans and reports Ability to actively listen, empathise with people and provide person-centred support in a non-judgemental way Commitment to reducing health inequalities and proactively working to reach people from diverse communities Able to support people is a way that inspires trust and confidence motivating others to reach their potential Ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing, with people, their families, carers, community groups, partner agencies and stakeholders Ability to identify risk and assess/manage risk when working with individuals Have a strong awareness and understanding of when it is appropriate or necessary to refer people back to other health professionals/agencies, when what the person needs is beyond the scope of the link worker role e.g. when there is a mental health need requiring a qualified practitioner Understanding of the needs of small volunteer-led community groups and ability to support their development Knowledge of, and ability to work to, policies and procedures, including confidentiality, safeguarding, lone working, information governance, and health and safety Access to own transport and ability to travel across the locality on a regular basis, including to visit people in their own homes Meets DBS reference standards and criminal record checks Values and Attitudes Essential Non-judgemental and non-discriminatory, respecting diversity and lifestyle choices. High levels of integrity and loyalty Sensitive and empathetic in distressing situations Ability to maintain a high level of confidentiality and discretion at all times. Other requirements Essential Flexibility to work outside of core office hours if required Full license holder with access to transport and ability to travel across the locality on a regular basis, including to visit people in their own homes Clear vision of role and commitment to working in Primary Care Person Specification Experience Essential Experience of working directly in a community development context, adult health and social care, learning support or public health/health improvement, supporting vulnerable groups; (including unpaid work) Experience of supporting people, their families and carers in a related role (including unpaid work) Experience of managing a caseload of individuals Experience of working with the VCSE sector (in a paid or unpaid capacity), including with volunteers and small community groups Experience of data collection and using tools to measure the impact of services Experience of partnership/collaborative working and of building relationships across a variety of organisations Experience of completing holistic person-centred care planning assessments Experience of reflective practise and understanding its important Experienced and confident in the delivery of lifestyle change interventions Knowledge of the personalised care approach Desirable Local knowledge of VCSE and community services in the locality Qualifications Essential Applicants educated to a minimum NVQ level 3 in a relevant subject area or similar level or equivalent qualification. Demonstrable commitment to professional and personal development Desirable Level 6 qualification, degree or equivalent Training in motivational coaching and interviewing or equivalent Skills and Attributes Essential Ability to work flexibly, dynamically and enthusiastically within a team or on own initiative Have a pro-active problem-solving approach to situations seeking out solutions in a wide variety of ways and places. Adaptable to ongoing changes of both patients and service needs. Ability to actively listen, empathise with people and provide person-centred support in a non-judgemental way Ability to maintain effective working relationships and to promote collaborative practice with all colleagues Can demonstrate personal accountability, emotional resilience, and ability to work well under pressure Understanding of the wider determinants of health, including social, economic and environmental factors and their impact on communities, individuals, their families and carers Understanding of, and commitment to, equality, diversity and inclusion. Knowledge of IT systems, including ability to use word processing skills, emails and the internet to create simple plans and reports Ability to actively listen, empathise with people and provide person-centred support in a non-judgemental way Commitment to reducing health inequalities and proactively working to reach people from diverse communities Able to support people is a way that inspires trust and confidence motivating others to reach their potential Ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing, with people, their families, carers, community groups, partner agencies and stakeholders Ability to identify risk and assess/manage risk when working with individuals Have a strong awareness and understanding of when it is appropriate or necessary to refer people back to other health professionals/agencies, when what the person needs is beyond the scope of the link worker role e.g. when there is a mental health need requiring a qualified practitioner Understanding of the needs of small volunteer-led community groups and ability to support their development Knowledge of, and ability to work to, policies and procedures, including confidentiality, safeguarding, lone working, information governance, and health and safety Access to own transport and ability to travel across the locality on a regular basis, including to visit people in their own homes Meets DBS reference standards and criminal record checks Values and Attitudes Essential Non-judgemental and non-discriminatory, respecting diversity and lifestyle choices. High levels of integrity and loyalty Sensitive and empathetic in distressing situations Ability to maintain a high level of confidentiality and discretion at all times. Other requirements Essential Flexibility to work outside of core office hours if required Full license holder with access to transport and ability to travel across the locality on a regular basis, including to visit people in their own homes Clear vision of role and commitment to working in Primary 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 Coventry And Rugby GP Alliance Address 1 The Boiler House, Electric Wharf Sandy Lane Coventry CV1 4JU Employer's website https://www.coventryrugbygpalliance.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)