Social Prescriber

We are on a mission to reshape the way we work with our patients to provide personalised care. We are excited to be recruiting a Social Prescriber to join our Social Prescribing team and work within our growing wider team in Southampton West Primary Care Network. This role is pivotal to achieving the changes we are aiming for, and we are investing in creating a well-supported and expanding multi-disciplinary PCN team working across our diverse population.

As a Social Prescriber you will help patients connect to activities, groups, and services in the community to meet the practical, social and emotional needs that affect their health and wellbeing. The Social Prescriber role gives patients time, focusing on what matters to me?. The support allows patients to take control of their health and wellbeing.

Social Prescribers are a key part of our Primary Care Network multidisciplinary team. They work alongside our integrated team of Health & Wellbeing Coaches, Peer Support Workers, Mental Health Practitioners and Care Coordinators to provide an all-encompassing approach to personalised care and promote and embed the personalised care approach across the PCN.

Social prescribing link workers work collaboratively across the health and care system, targeting populations with greatest need and risk of health inequalities. They collaborate with partners to identify gaps in provision and support community offers to be accessible and sustainable.

Social prescribers will work with patients of all-ages with a whole population approach and support people who:

• have one or more long term conditions
• who are lonely or isolated
• who have complex social needs which affect their wellbeing.

Social Prescribers manage and prioritise a caseload, according to the needs, priorities and support required by individuals in the caseload. They identify when a persons needs are beyond the scope of the Social Prescribing role and refer them back to other health professionals or organisations.

Southampton West Primary Care Network (PCN) consists of the 9 GP surgeries in the west of the City and covers 84,000 patients. Our mission is to work collaboratively to develop high quality services for our patients, so that we can improve health outcomes that enable people to live well, for longer, whilst developing resilient primary care.

The PCN already hosts a strong and supportive multi-disciplinary wellbeing team consisting of mental health practitioners, peer support workers, social prescribers, care coordinators, Health and Wellbeing Coaches, Pharmacists, and First Contact Physiotherapist.

The role will involve coproducing a "Social Prescription" with individuals referred to the service which provides the individual with positive health and wellbeing outcomes through addressing non-medical/social issues in their life, such as housing, debt or social isolation.

Key responsibilities

To undertake holistic assessments and co-design Health and Well-being Plans with individual service users, identifying support needs to ensure maximum engagement in improving their health and wellbeing.

Develop trusting relationships by giving people time and focus on what matters to them

To provide service users with continuity and a coordinated experience of care, remaining a point of contact throughout the individuals social prescription.

Take a holistic approach, based on the persons priorities, and the wider determinants of health. The role will require social prescribing link workers to manage and prioritise their own caseload, in accordance with the health and wellbeing needs of their population.

To work in partnership with all voluntary and community organisations to build a comprehensive database of local resources to design and support the Social Prescription Menu.

Identify and engage effectively in a non-judgemental and respectful manner with members of the community from all backgrounds, abilities and ages, listening and interpreting complex health information into understandable terms about health and health improvement.

To support and develop GPs and primary care health teams knowledge on how to identify patients suitable for social prescribing service referral on a quarterly basis.

Utilise and maintain comprehensive data and evaluation systems, including individual health outcome tools.

Support the development of the service taking into consideration feedback from service users, PCN member practices, and other local services Social Prescribers work collaboratively with

To keep records of your work and adhere to confidentiality, information sharing protocols and provide monitoring information as required.

Dimensions

The role requires social prescribing link workers to manage and prioritise their own referrals in accordance with the health and wellbeing needs of their population. Where required and as appropriate, the social prescribing link workers will refer people back to other health and social care organisations within the…