About this role
Job summary
We are looking for a Wellbeing Linkworker to join our experienced Social Prescribing Team for 12hrs/wk. OPriority will be given to candidates who already work in Social Prescribing and/or Primary Care.
Our team is employed directly by, and well embedded in the GP Surgery. You will work autonomously to support patients towards better health and wellbeing, alongside the Multi-Disciplinary Team including GPs, Nurses, Pharmacists and many other Allied Health Professionals, Patient Advisors and our Chaplaincy team.
If you are interested in working specifically with our patients seeking asylum, this could be an option. Please mention your preference in your application.
Main duties of the job
Core Duties:
Take referrals from any staff in and beyond the practice or self-referralsOptional: Connect with the local asylum seeker accommodation and stakeholders Provide personalised support to individuals, their families and carers to improve their wellbeing, by developing relationships and learning 'what matters to them'. Connecting people to community groups / services, charities and sources of knowledge and statutory services. Manage own caseload, in accordance with urgency of cases, delivering a compassionate but fair and sustainable service in a very demanding environment. Manage expectations by clearly sharing the limitations of Social Prescribing to patients and stakeholders, especially around welfare advice, housing / homelessness and the length/depth of support available per patient. Where appropriate, discuss patient related concerns and needs with colleagues and the wider team, and refer and signpost. Capturing data in patients EMIS' records in accordance with the GP Care Group Social Prescribing guidelines. Proactively develop links with local agencies, building mutual trust and acknowledging the unique challenges and limitations they face. Be an access point for advice on services, to reduce medicalisation of social healthOther Duties:
Active participate in training, meetings, supervision and development. Duties may vary from time to time, without changing the general character of the post or level of responsibility and will be within your (growing) competence.
About us
The Mission Practice is a special place to work with a diverse team who share the vision that we are all on a journey in life growing and developing all the time.
The Mission Practice has been serving patients in Bethnal Green since 1901 and we have had an embedded social prescribing service for more than 13 years, before it was known as Social Prescribing. We have an allocated room for Social Prescribing, which is adjacent to the waiting room. We try to be present and respond to need, which sometimes means taking over a patient from a GP, doing outreach and welcoming services into the practice to offer direct support (Exercise, ESOL, welfare advice, etcetera)
Our patients are of all cultures and backgrounds, but often experience poverty and face complex, multiple disadvantages, including long term physical and mental illnesses, isolation, immigration, addiction and housing problems. You will join us to walk alongside these patients especially.
Job description Job responsibilities
Social prescribing empowers people to take control of their health and wellbeing. By providing an non-medical view in a medical setting, you can give time to individuals and focus on what 'matters to me'. Using this holistic approach, you can then connect people to community groups and statutory services for practical and emotional support.
You will need a good understanding of social prescribing, well-being and community services together with a good understanding of and ability to provide motivational and behavioral techniques.While the NHS is under ever increasing pressure we still try to spend time with patients to learn what really matters to them.
We want you to build trust and respect, providing non-judgemental and non-discriminatory support, respecting lifestyle choices, accepting those who are not ready but trying to understand what unique fears and hurdles they face around their health and wellbeing.
As Maya Angelou said: "People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel."
If you have a particular interest in working with patients who are seeking asylum, this is an option.
Person Specification
Personal qualities and attributes Essential
Ability to actively listen, empathise with people and provide person-centred support in a non-judgemental way. Able to provide a culturally sensitive service, by supporting people from all backgrounds and communities, respecting lifestyles and diversity. Commitment to reducing health inequalities and proactively working to reach people from diverse communities. Able to support people in a way that inspires trust and confidence, motivating others to reach their potential, adapting to individual levels of ability and health literacy. Ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing, with people, their families, carers, community groups, partner agencies, clinical professionals and other stakeholders. Able to work with others to reduce hierarchies and find creative solutions to community issues. Personal accountability, emotional resilience and ability to work well under pressure. Ability tow work flexibly and enthusiastically within a team or on own initiative.
Qualifications Essential
NVQ Level 3, Advanced level or equivalent qualifications or working towards. Demonstrable commitment to professional and personal development.
Desirable
Training in motivational coaching and interviewing or equivalent experience. A background in sociology, anthropology, education or community work with marginalised or ethnic minority groups.
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 facing complex needs, their families and carers, supporting people with their mental health 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 Ability to maintain effective working relationships and to promote collaborative practice with all colleagues Ability to work flexibly and enthusiastically within a team or on own initiative Knowledge of, and ability to work to, policies and procedures, including confidentiality, safeguarding, lone working, information governance, and health and safety
Desirable
Experience of working in a GP practice Experience of working with the VCSE sector
Knowledge and skills Essential
Knowledge of the personalised care approach. 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 community development approaches including asset-based community development and community resilience. High proficiency with IT systems, including ability to use Microsoft Office, especially Outlook, Word and Excel. Understanding of the needs of small community groups and ability to contribute to supporting their development Ability to methodically organise, plan and prioritise on own initiative, especially when under pressure and meeting deadlines. High level of written and oral communication skills, with clinical professionals as well as patients with often complex needs. Confidently approach difficult conversations, ability to de-escalate situations of (potential) conflict, maintaining healthy relationships with different parties, being clear but kind about boundaries of the role. Experienced in identifying and raising (potential) safeguarding issues and needs that are beyond the scope of the role. Able to provide motivational coaching to support peoples behaviour change.
Desirable
Local knowledge of VCSE and community services. Knowledge of how the NHS works, including primary care and MDT working. Experience with the use of EMIS Web, AccuRx and Mailchimp.
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 The Mission Practice
Address 208 Cambridge Heath Road
London
E2 9LS
United Kingdom
Employer's website https://www.themissionpractice.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)