Gateshead Inner West Primary Care Network
Gateshead Inner West PCN are seeking an experienced, self-motivated, hard-working, and patient-focused Social Prescribing Link Worker to join our team.
The post holder will work closely with our GP's and other primary care professionals within the PCN to proactively identify and manage a caseload of patients within the community, ensuring that support and care are made available to them and that their complex needs are addressed.
This role is offered on a full-time basis, for 37.5 hours per week, Monday - Friday.
Main Duties of the Job
* Provide personalised support to individuals, their families and carers to take control of their wellbeing, live independently and improve their health outcomes.
* Take referrals from GP Practices and multi-disciplinary teams within Primary Care Networks.
* Develop trusting relationships by giving people time and focusing on what matters to them. Take a holistic approach, based on the person's priorities and the wider determinants of health. Co-produce a personalised support plan to improve health and wellbeing, introducing or reconnecting people to community groups and statutory services.
* Manage and prioritise your own caseload, in accordance with the needs, priorities, and any urgent support required by individuals on the caseload.
* Have a strong awareness and understanding of when it is appropriate or necessary to refer people back to other health professionals/agencies, when their needs are beyond the scope of the link worker role.
* Work together with local partners to ensure that local VCSE organisations and community groups are sustainable and that community assets are nurtured, including providing support to set up new community groups and services where gaps are identified.
About Us
Based in the Inner West of Gateshead, our Primary Care Network serves over 45,000 patients across our five member Practices: Whickham Medical Cottage, Chainbridge Medical Partnership, Glenpark Medical Practice, Teams Medical Practice & Sunniside Surgery.
We provide integrated services to our local population, aiming to deliver more personalised, coordinated health and social care for people close to home.
The successful candidate will work within the community of our locality across all five sites.
Person Specification
Experience
* Experience of working in community development, adult health and social care, learning support or public health/health improvement.
* Experience of supporting people, their families and carers in a professional capacity.
* Experience of working with the voluntary, community or social enterprise sector.
* Experience of working with volunteers and community groups.
* Experience of data collection and providing monitoring information to assess the impact of services.
* Experience of partnership working and building relationships across a range of organisations.
* Knowledge of the personalised care approach.
* Understanding of the wider determinants of health including social, economic and environmental factors and their impact on communities.
* Able to prioritise and manage your own workload.
* Able to use IT systems including Microsoft Office.
* Able to identify risk and assess/manage risk when working with individuals.
* Able to communicate effectively with any audience, both verbally and in writing.
* Experience of working in a healthcare setting, ideally general practice.
* Knowledge of EMIS clinical system.
* Knowledge of VCSE and community services within the Gateshead locality.
* Experience of supporting people with their mental health.
Qualifications
* NVQ Level 3, Advanced level or equivalent qualifications or working towards.
* Evidence of continuing professional development.
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 Name
Gateshead Inner West Primary Care Network
Address
Gateshead Inner West Primary Care Network
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