Social Prescribing Link Worker

Working with the Social Prescribing team based within OWLS, the role will include visiting individuals who have been referred to the project by GPs, NHS staff or other agencies, on a one to one basis, accessing their holistic situation and supporting and improving their health and wellbeing with non-medical intervention, such as linking them to activities and opportunities within the VCF (Voluntary Community and Faith) sector.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role.

The post holder will work in collaboration with OWLS CIC to deliver a coordinated and high-quality Social Prescribing Link Worker service supporting clients to access and engage with the extensive range of support in the community.

The post holder will manage a caseload of clients through assessment to onward-referral, working with clients in the practice that have been referred by the GP. They will provide ongoing support for an allocated timeframe to promote engagement with identified services and achievement of goals.

The role requires extensive liaison with statutory and non-statutory services, to both generate referrals into the service and support access to relevant local services, so that seamless and joined up local services are provided for the individual. The post holder will have demonstrable high levels of emotional intelligence, with working practices based upon compassion and empathy.

In addition, the post holder will contribute to the development of the service and will participate in support, supervision and training as required.

Employment will be with Out of Hours West Lancashire CICLimited (OWLS). We host roles on behalf of the three West Lancashire Primary Care Networks (PCNs) and their member practices.

OWLS is a small GP owned and led not-for-profit primary ca reorganisation run by GPs and health professionals. As a not-for-profit organisation all the money we generate through service contracts is reinvested in providing patient care.

We were founded in the 90s by a small group of GPs toprovide high quality out of hours services. In 2017, we became the West Lancashire GP Federation. The Federation supports and provides services directly and with partners, for West Lancashire GP practices and provides avehicle to bid for and provide primary care services.

• Take referrals from and make referrals to a wide range of agencies within Primary Care Networks
• Co-produce personalised support plans with individuals, their families and carers to take control of theirwellbeing, live independently and improve their health outcomes.
• Developing trusting relationships by giving people time and focus on what matters to me.
• Take a holistic approach, basedon the persons priorities and the wider determinants of health.
• It is vital that you have astrong awareness and understanding of when it is appropriate or necessary torefer 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.

• Be proactive in developing strong links with all local agencies to encourage referrals, recognising what theyneed to be confident in the service to make appropriate referrals.
• Be proactive in developing strong links with all local agencies to encourage referrals, recognising what theyneed to be confident in the service to make appropriate referrals.
• Work in partnership with alllocal agencies to raise awareness of social prescribing and how partnership working can reduce pressure on statutory services, improve health outcomes andenable a holistic approach to care.
• Work with the practice and community staff, to identify and support individuals at risk of loss of independence or hospital admission as a result of inadequate social support.
• Seek regular feedback about the quality of service and impact of social prescribing on referral agencies.
• Be proactive in encouraging self-referrals and connecting with all local communities, particularly those communities that statutory agencies may find hard to reach.

• Meet people on a one-to-onebasis, making home visits where appropriate within organisations policies and procedures. Give people time to tell their stories and focus on what mattersto me.
• Help people identify the wider issues that impact on their health and wellbeing, such as debt, poor housing,being unemployed, loneliness and caring responsibilities.
• Develop a comprehensive knowledge of wider support services for people with non-clinical needs that impact ontheir wellbeing and health outcomes, such as social isolation, wellbeing,housing, unemployment, welfare benefits.
• Help people maintain or regain independence through living skills, adaptations enablement approaches andsimple safeguards.
• Work with individuals toco-produce a simple personalised support plan based on the persons priorities, interests, values and motivations…