Job summary Working as a Social Prescribing Link Worker offers the unique opportunity to make a meaningful impact on people's lives by addressing their health and wellbeing holistically.
In this role, you'll empower individuals to take control of their health, focusing on "what matters to me" and connecting them to community groups and services that provide practical and emotional support.Youll play a pivotal role in building personal and community resilience, helping to reduce health inequalities by tackling wider determinants of health such as debt, housing issues, and social isolation.
Your work will support those with long-term conditions, mental health challenges, and complex social needs, making a real difference in improving their quality of life.This role is not just about helping individualsits about fostering stronger, more sustainable communities.
You'll collaborate with local partners to ensure community resources are accessible and thriving, even helping to inspire and establish new initiatives.By joining us, you become part of a forward-thinking, compassionate team dedicated to transforming lives and strengthening the bonds that connect people to their communities.
If you're passionate about empowering others and creating lasting change, this is the role for you.
Main duties of the job As a Social Prescribing Link Worker, your main role will be:Receiving and Managing Referrals:Take referrals from GP practices within the PCN and support patients using social prescribing methods.Providing Individualised Support:Work closely with individuals, their families, and carers to help them take control of their health and wellbeing, live independently, and improve their health outcomes.Building Trusting Relationships:Spend time understanding each persons needs, focusing on what matters to me and taking a holistic approach to their health and priorities.Co-Producing Support Plans:Collaborate with individuals to develop personalised plans that address their goals and connect them to community groups, activities, or statutory services.Strengthening Community Networks:Support and enhance the capacity of local voluntary, community, and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations to accept social prescribing referrals.Promoting Wellbeing Awareness:Provide information and guidance about wellbeing and preventative approaches to improve overall health.Addressing Wider Determinants of Health:Help individuals identify and address challenges like debt, poor housing, unemployment, loneliness, or caregiving responsibilities that impact their wellbeing.Facilitating Community Engagement:When appropriate, accompany individuals to community groups, activities, or services to ensure they feel comfortable and supported.
Follow up to ensure their needs are met and they feel included.
About us Sowe Valley Primary Care Network is a collaboration of ten NHS GP Practices covering the East of Coventry and 86,000 registered patients.We have built a rich MDT team of paramedics, physiotherapists, pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, social prescribers, GP assistants, dietician, CPN and care coordinators.
Job description Job responsibilities As a Social Prescribing Link Worker, you will empower individuals to take control of their health and wellbeing through non-medical support.
You will:Manage referrals from GP practices within Primary Care Networks, using social prescribing approaches tailored to each patients needs.Provide personalised support to individuals, families, and carers, enabling them to live independently and improve their health outcomes.Build trusting relationships by focusing on what matters to me and addressing wider determinants of health through a holistic approach.Co-produce personalised support plans, connecting individuals to community groups, activities, and statutory services.Strengthen community networks by supporting VCSE organisations and ensuring they can safely and effectively receive social prescribing referrals.Help individuals identify and address challenges such as debt, housing, unemployment, loneliness, and caregiving.Act as a source of guidance on wellbeing and preventative approaches.Accompany individuals to community services where needed, ensuring they feel comfortable, engaged, and supported.This role is about creating lasting change, strengthening community ties, and improving lives.
Person Specification Personal Qualities and Attributes Essential Ability to listen, empathise with people and provide person centred support in a non-judgemental way Able to get along with people from all backgrounds and communities, respecting lifestyles and diversity Commitment to reducing health inequalities and proactively working to reach people from all communities Able to support people in 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 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 when there is a mental health need requiring a qualified practitioner Able to work from an asset based approach, building on existing community and personal assets Able to provide leadership and to finish work tasks Ability to maintain effective working relationships and to promote collaborative practice with all colleagues Commitment to collaborative working with all local agencies (including VCSE organisations and community groups).
Able to work with others to reduce hierarchies and find creative solutions to community issues Experience Essential Experience of working directly in a community development context, adult health and social care, learning support or public health/health improvement (including unpaid work) Experience of supporting people, their families and carers in a related role (including unpaid work) Experience of supporting people with their mental health, either in a paid, unpaid or informal capacity Experience of working with the VCSE sector (in a paid or unpaid capacity), including with volunteers and small community groups Desirable Experience of data collection and providing monitoring information to assess the impact of services Qualifications Essential NVQ Level 3, Advanced level or equivalent qualifications or working towards Training in motivational coaching and interviewing or equivalent experience Desirable Demonstrable commitment to professional and personal development.