Job summary
Healthy Horley Primary Care Network (PCN) has an exciting opportunity to expand their Primary Care Workforce by employinga CYPSP (Children and Young People Social Prescriber) and implementing a CYPSPservice for our patients. We would like to build on our existing PCN team as wecontinue to recognise the value the additional roles bring to our practices andpatients. Our aim is to provide exemplary patient care; find innovativesolutions in general practice to deliver the best care we can for our patients.
Our PCN comprises of 3 practices, covering Horley and surrounding areas(Outwood, Salfords and Smallfield). The Practices have a combined population of31,500 patients. There is a wide socio-economic and demographic served withinthis area which will provide an interesting and varied case mix. You will bejoining an enthusiastic team of clinicians and administrators. The role willcontribute to improving the quality of care of our patients across the networkof practices.
Within Healthy Horley PCN, there is anidentified need for a Social Prescribing Link Worker, to work with Children andYoung People, to support their health and wellbeing and helping them tonavigate through the different support networks available to them. Thisincludes linking them in with Sexual Health Services, Drug and Alcohol supportand Mental Health support as required.
Main duties of the job
This is an excitingnew role to the Primary Care team, and as such, the successful post holder willhave the opportunity to be involved in the shaping of the service, as well ashaving the responsibility for collecting user feedback and adapting the role tosuit the needs of the users in line with the Thrive model.
The roleis primarily to work with children and young people aged up to 19 years (up to24 years old for users with Learning Difficulties) but may also involve workwith their parents/carers. You will work closely with the Mindworks Surreyservice to provide a range of services for children, young people and theirfamilies and deliver the appropriate level of support at the right time. Socialprescribing empowers people to take control of their health and wellbeingthrough referral to a non-medical link worker who gives time, focuses on whatmatters to me and takes a holistic approach, connecting people to communitygroups and statutory services for practical and emotional support. Link workerssupport existing groups to be accessible and sustainable and help people tostart new community groups, working collaboratively with all local partners. Socialprescribing can help to strengthen personal and community resilience andreduces health inequalities. It addresses the wider determinants of health,such as debt, poor housing, and physical inactivity, by increasing peoplesactive involvement with their local communities.
About us
Alliance for Better Care CIC is a pro-active, forward-thinking GP federation that unites 47 GP practices across 12 Primary Care Networks in Surrey and Sussex. We support our primary care colleagues to transform how healthcare is managed within the community.
Our strength lies not just in our ability to connect all areas of primary care, but also in the way we support and strengthen the role primary care plays in the rest of the system. We are the glue that helps bind them together.
We work with and listen to our GP practices, PCNs, hospitals, community organisations and the third sector. These vital partnerships ensure that, together, we deliver a truly integrated approach that offers the support and expertise needed to effectively serve our communities. As a membership organisation, we have the ability to share our expertise at scale, and were happy to do so.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Primary duties andareas of responsibility
- Providepersonalised support to children and young people aged up to 19 years (up to 24years old for users with Learning Difficulties) to enable them to take controlof their wellbeing, live independently and improve their health outcomes.
- Acceptreferrals from a wide range of agencies including GP practices within primarycare networks.
- Signpostyoung people and their families to appropriate community-based services afterthey have been assessed by a Healthy Horley PCN GP.
- Meetyoung people on a one-to-one basis and give them time to tell their stories andfocus on what matters to me. Build trust with the person, providingnon-judgemental support, respecting diversity, and lifestyle choices. Work froma strength-based approach focusing on a persons assets.
- Offerbetween 1 and 6 sessions for up to an hour, face-to-face or virtual and offerfollow up where needed.
- Co-producea personalised support plan to improve health and wellbeing, introducing, connecting,and supporting young people to community groups and statutory services.
- Helpyoung people identify the wider issues that impact on their health andwellbeing, such as debt, poor housing, being unemployed, loneliness and caringresponsibilities.
- Formlinks with local Schools and other community enterprises.
- Workclosely with Mindworks Alliance Partners such as YMCA and the school-basedmental health support teams, as well as the Childrens community healthprovider, in order to ease cross referral processes and provide the post holderwith peer support.
- Provideearlier intervention whilst waiting or avoiding the need to wait for triagethrough the Mindworks Access and Advice line.
- Have agood understanding of and utilise the THRIVE delivery model in sessions,which conceptualises the mental health and wellbeing needs of children, youngpeople and families in terms of five different needs-based groupings: gettingadvice, getting help, getting more help, getting risk support, and thriving.
- Workclosely and communicate with other agency partners such as schools, CommunityDevelopment Workers, Local Area Coordinators, Targeted Youth Service and FamilySupport Teams when necessary to ensure the local system is working in ajoined-up way to provide the young person(s) with holistic care.
- Wherenecessary, physically introduce people to community groups, activities, andstatutory services, ensuring they are comfortable. Follow up to ensure they arehappy, able to engage, included and receiving good support.
- Worksensitively with young people to capture key information, enabling tracking ofthe impact of social prescribing on their health and wellbeing.
- Encourageyoung people to provide feedback and to share their stories about the impact ofsocial prescribing on their lives.
- Manageand prioritise your own caseload, in accordance with the needs, priorities andsupport required by individuals on the caseload.
- Workclosely with the safeguarding lead to ensure any issues and concerns areescalated and dealt with quickly and effectively.
- Referyoung people back to other health professionals/agencies, when their needs arebeyond the scope of the link worker role when there is a mental healthneed requiring a qualified practitioner.
- Buildrelationships with key staff in GP practices within the local Primary CareNetwork (PCN), attending relevant meetings, becoming part of the wider networkteam, giving information and feedback on social prescribing.
- Organiseand help support weekly MDTs (multi-disciplinaryteam).
- Participatein monthly supervision with child and adolescent psychotherapist.
- Be ableto work flexibly in-hours and out of hours.
- Supportthe Primary Care Network in reducing inequalities by proactively seekingengagement from Children and Young People who may require early interventionand support.
- Participatein regular clinical supervision with a GP.
Please see full job description for further information.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Primary duties andareas of responsibility
- Providepersonalised support to children and young people aged up to 19 years (up to 24years old for users with Learning Difficulties) to enable them to take controlof their wellbeing, live independently and improve their health outcomes.
- Acceptreferrals from a wide range of agencies including GP practices within primarycare networks.
- Signpostyoung people and their families to appropriate community-based services afterthey have been assessed by a Healthy Horley PCN GP.
- Meetyoung people on a one-to-one basis and give them time to tell their stories andfocus on what matters to me. Build trust with the person, providingnon-judgemental support, respecting diversity, and lifestyle choices. Work froma strength-based approach focusing on a persons assets.
- Offerbetween 1 and 6 sessions for up to an hour, face-to-face or virtual and offerfollow up where needed.
- Co-producea personalised support plan to improve health and wellbeing, introducing, connecting,and supporting young people to community groups and statutory services.
- Helpyoung people identify the wider issues that impact on their health andwellbeing, such as debt, poor housing, being unemployed, loneliness and caringresponsibilities.
- Formlinks with local Schools and other community enterprises.
- Workclosely with Mindworks Alliance Partners such as YMCA and the school-basedmental health support teams, as well as the Childrens community healthprovider, in order to ease cross referral processes and provide the post holderwith peer support.
- Provideearlier intervention whilst waiting or avoiding the need to wait for triagethrough the Mindworks Access and Advice line.
- Have agood understanding of and utilise the THRIVE delivery model in sessions,which conceptualises the mental health and wellbeing needs of children, youngpeople and families in terms of five different needs-based groupings: gettingadvice, getting help, getting more help, getting risk support, and thriving.
- Workclosely and communicate with other agency partners such as schools, CommunityDevelopment Workers, Local Area Coordinators, Targeted Youth Service and FamilySupport Teams when necessary to ensure the local system is working in ajoined-up way to provide the young person(s) with holistic care.
- Wherenecessary, physically introduce people to community groups, activities, andstatutory services, ensuring they are comfortable. Follow up to ensure they arehappy, able to engage, included and receiving good support.
- Worksensitively with young people to capture key information, enabling tracking ofthe impact of social prescribing on their health and wellbeing.
- Encourageyoung people to provide feedback and to share their stories about the impact ofsocial prescribing on their lives.
- Manageand prioritise your own caseload, in accordance with the needs, priorities andsupport required by individuals on the caseload.
- Workclosely with the safeguarding lead to ensure any issues and concerns areescalated and dealt with quickly and effectively.
- Referyoung people back to other health professionals/agencies, when their needs arebeyond the scope of the link worker role when there is a mental healthneed requiring a qualified practitioner.
- Buildrelationships with key staff in GP practices within the local Primary CareNetwork (PCN), attending relevant meetings, becoming part of the wider networkteam, giving information and feedback on social prescribing.
- Organiseand help support weekly MDTs (multi-disciplinaryteam).
- Participatein monthly supervision with child and adolescent psychotherapist.
- Be ableto work flexibly in-hours and out of hours.
- Supportthe Primary Care Network in reducing inequalities by proactively seekingengagement from Children and Young People who may require early interventionand support.
- Participatein regular clinical supervision with a GP.
Please see full job description for further information.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- NVQ Level 3 Health and Social Care, or equivalent qualifications, or working towards
- Demonstrable commitment to professional and personal development
Desirable
- Training in motivational coaching and interviewing, or equivalent experience
Experience
Essential
- Experience of working with a range of professionals including senior clinicians
- Experience of working with children and young people or directly in a community development context, childrens 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 working with the VCSE (Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise) sector (in a paid or unpaid capacity), including with volunteers and small community groups
- Experience of partnership/collaborative working and of building relationships across a variety of organisations
Desirable
- Experience of working within a primary care setting
- Experience of supporting people with their mental health, either in a paid, unpaid or informal capacity
- Experience of data collection and providing monitoring information to assess the impact of services
Personal Qualities & Attributes
Essential
- Ability to listen, empathise with people and provide person-centred support to children and young people
- 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
- Ability to identify risk and assess/manage risk when working with children and young people
- 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
- Ability to organise, plan and prioritise on own initiative, including when under pressure and meeting deadlines
- High level of written and oral communication skills
- Ability to work flexibly and enthusiastically within a team or on own initiative
- Understanding of the needs of small volunteer-led community groups and ability to support their development
- Knowledge of and ability to work to policies and procedures, including confidentiality, safeguarding, lone working, information governance, and health and safety
Other requirements
Essential
- Meets DBS reference standards and has a clear criminal record, in line with the law on spent convictions
- Willingness to work flexible hours when required to meet work demands
- Access to own transport and ability to travel across the locality on a regular basis, including to visit people in their own homes
- Champion of equality and valuing diversity
- Operates at all times in line with Confidentiality and Data Protection Act
Skills & Knowledge
Essential
- Understanding of the wider determinants of health, including social, economic and environmental factors and their impact on communities
- Knowledge of community development approaches
- Knowledge of IT systems, including ability to use word processing skills, emails and the internet to create simple plans and reports
- Knowledge of motivational coaching and interview skills
Desirable
- Knowledge of the personalised care approach
- Knowledge of VCSE and community services in the locality
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- NVQ Level 3 Health and Social Care, or equivalent qualifications, or working towards
- Demonstrable commitment to professional and personal development
Desirable
- Training in motivational coaching and interviewing, or equivalent experience
Experience
Essential
- Experience of working with a range of professionals including senior clinicians
- Experience of working with children and young people or directly in a community development context, childrens 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 working with the VCSE (Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise) sector (in a paid or unpaid capacity), including with volunteers and small community groups
- Experience of partnership/collaborative working and of building relationships across a variety of organisations
Desirable
- Experience of working within a primary care setting
- Experience of supporting people with their mental health, either in a paid, unpaid or informal capacity
- Experience of data collection and providing monitoring information to assess the impact of services
Personal Qualities & Attributes
Essential
- Ability to listen, empathise with people and provide person-centred support to children and young people
- 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
- Ability to identify risk and assess/manage risk when working with children and young people
- 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
- Ability to organise, plan and prioritise on own initiative, including when under pressure and meeting deadlines
- High level of written and oral communication skills
- Ability to work flexibly and enthusiastically within a team or on own initiative
- Understanding of the needs of small volunteer-led community groups and ability to support their development
- Knowledge of and ability to work to policies and procedures, including confidentiality, safeguarding, lone working, information governance, and health and safety
Other requirements
Essential
- Meets DBS reference standards and has a clear criminal record, in line with the law on spent convictions
- Willingness to work flexible hours when required to meet work demands
- Access to own transport and ability to travel across the locality on a regular basis, including to visit people in their own homes
- Champion of equality and valuing diversity
- Operates at all times in line with Confidentiality and Data Protection Act
Skills & Knowledge
Essential
- Understanding of the wider determinants of health, including social, economic and environmental factors and their impact on communities
- Knowledge of community development approaches
- Knowledge of IT systems, including ability to use word processing skills, emails and the internet to create simple plans and reports
- Knowledge of motivational coaching and interview skills
Desirable
- Knowledge of the personalised care approach
- Knowledge of VCSE and community services in the locality
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.
