Social prescribing Link Workers (SPLWs) are becoming an integral part of Multi-Disciplinary Teams in Primary Care Networks (PCNs). Link Workers take a holistic view of people’s health and wellbeing to deliver non-medical care by connecting them with partners, services, community groups and local voluntary organisations that provide people with a sense of purpose and belonging.
Link workers connect people to community groups and agencies for practical and emotional support and give people time and focus on what matters to the person as identified through shared decision making or personalised care and support planning.
They work within multidisciplinary teams and collaborate with local partners to support community groups to be accessible and sustainable and help people to start new groups. Social prescribing complements other approaches such as ‘active signposting’.
Key Information
Scope of Practice
Social Prescribing Link Workers can support anyone who would benefit, including but not exclusively people in the following situations:
- On the lower level of the mental health/illness continuum
- With one or more long-term conditions
- Who are lonely or experiencing social isolation
- Who have complex social needs that affect their wellbeing
- Who are having financial and housing issues
- Carers
- People who are experiencing domestic violence
Social Prescribing Link Workers may do one or more of the following:
- Make observations from social and wider determinants of health point of view
- Seek to address what matters to the individual holistically through time to talk and shared decision-making.
- Facilitate, connect, and link people to the right support and interventions that can help address the identified needs, which in turn helps to improve mental health and physical well-being.
- Refer to a variety of voluntary and community sector schemes that provide activities and support such as volunteering, exercise groups, gardening, healthy eating, and cooking.
- Support individuals to be resilient , independent, empowered, and able to unblock barriers to better health and wellbeing which are largely responsible for health inequalities.
Link workers typically support people on average over 6-12 contacts (including phone calls, meetings and home visits) with a typical caseload of 200-250 people per year, depending on the complexity of people’s needs and the maturity of the social prescribing scheme.
Training Requirements
Completed the eLearning for Health online programme ‘Social Prescribing – learning for link workers’
Enrolled in or qualified from appropriate training as accredited by the Personalised Care Institute.
Attends the peer support networks delivered at place or system by the integrated care system (ICS) and/or NHS England in the region.
Funding
Social Prescribing Link Workers are reimbursable under the ARRS scheme.
Supervision
A named first point of contact in the PCN (including a GP); including access to monthly supervision from an appropriate health professional (e.g. allied health professional, GP)
Further guidance on supervision, education and training can be found in the workforce development framework for social prescribing link workers.
This module may also be of interest to any GPs or HCPs looking to provide supervision to link workers and other personalised care roles.
Devon Training Hub have recently produced a summary guide covering the supervision of all roles including GPs, Nurses, Non-Medical Prescribers, Advanced Practitioners and new roles funded through the ARRS scheme.
The guide contains the latest information on supervision requirements for each role, which team members of the team can supervise them, & details of training requirements & CPD opportunities for supervisors.
Learning & Development
NHSE Future Learn Social Prescribing Workspace
This platform has information for new starters, links to e-learning, and discussion forums. Email england.socialprescribing@nhs.net to request access to this workspace
NHSE/I run fortnightly webinars on hot topics for SPLWs, accessible via FutureNHS. There is also a page signposting further training e.g. in personalised care, mental health & wellbeing, safeguarding and children & young people.
Useful links & resources
Watch The Role of the Social Prescriber:
Wellbeing & Coaching for Personalised Care Roles
Devon Wellbeing Hub. If you are struggling with any aspect of your wellbeing at all, or you lead a team who would benefit from support, find out more about Devon Wellbeing Hub can help you.
There are a range of resources to help support your own health & wellbeing on the NHS People website.
Confidential support is also available by phone on 0800 06 96 222 (7am-11pm) for any general support, or 0300 303 4434 (8am-8pm) for bereavement-specific support.
For support by text message, text ‘FRONTLINE’ to 85258 (available 24 hours a day, seven days a week).
Devon Training Hub Offers
Check Ins for New Starters within Devon’s PCN Personalised Care Workforce
Devon Training Hub is hosting regular virtual check ins for anyone who is in their first year of employment within a PCN Personalised Care Workforce role. Typically, this workforce group will include Social Prescribers, Health & Wellbeing Coaches and Care Co-ordinators.
The check ins will be an informal, safe space for new starters to meet, share experiences and provide peer support to one another. Becki White, our Personalised Care Fellow will be facilitating these sessions and will be able to provide advice, support and information for any induction, training and job role queries you may have. Please contact us for more details.
Web-Based Collaborative for Devon’s PCN Personalised Care Workforce
A Devon wide Microsoft Teams Channel has been created for Personalised Care roles (Social Prescribers, Health and Wellbeing Coaches and Care co-ordinators) and Personalised Care Role Team Leads. This web-based collaborative is utilised for Personalised Care roles across Devon to communicate and connect with an intention to share best practice, create new knowledge, and support one another! The channel is used to share the Personalised Care Community of Practice dates and to also share relevant updates and useful information. Please contact us if you would like access to this collaborative.
Learning and Developing Community of Practice for Devon PCNs Personalised Care Workforce
If you are currently within a Personalised Care role (Social Prescribers, Health and Wellbeing Coaches and Care co-ordinators) or are someone who leads a team of personalised care roles within a PCN, you are invited to our Community of Practices to communicate and connect with colleagues across Devon. The intention of these Community of Practices is to share best practice, create new knowledge, and support one another! There is a separate Community of Practice for Social Prescribers, Health and Wellbeing Coaches & Wellbeing Team Leads. Please contact us if you would like access to any of these Community of Practices.
