Social Prescribing Team Lead

Sunderland GP Alliance; Sunderland; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000

Job description

Job Summary

Job Title: Social Prescribing & Team Lead

Responsible to: Operations Manager

Location: Sunderland Central/West

Salary: £35,495.97

Contract Type: Fixed Term to 31/03/2026

Hours: Full Time 37.5 hours

Main duties of the job

The PCN Social Prescribing Team Lead will be responsible for both first line management and leadership of all Hub team members within the allocated PCN, to include:

1. Social Prescribers and Care Coordinators

In addition to the leadership role, the Team Lead will undertake the role of Social Prescribing Link worker within the service and as such will meet the required person specification for that role.

Working with GPs and other primary care professionals within the PCN, you will manage your own caseload of patients and where required and as appropriate, refer people back to other services or health professionals within the PCN.

As a Social Prescribing Link worker, you will work as a member of the PCNs team of health professionals, taking referrals from the PCNs Core Network Practices and from a wide range of agencies to support the health and wellbeing of patients.

About Us

In return, successful candidates can expect:

• 33 days annual leave
• NHS Pension
• Peer support and team network

Candidates must also hold a driving licence and have access to a car, insured for business use.

Successful candidates will be employed by Sunderland GP Alliance, on behalf of the PCNs. SGPA is a not-for-profit organisation owned by the city's GPs, representing over 250,000 patients across Sunderland.

Date posted

06 March 2025

Pay scheme

Salary: £35,495.97 a year

Contract: Fixed term

Duration: 12 months

Working pattern: Full-time

Reference number: U0012-25-0011

Job Description

Main Duties and Responsibilities

This is a leadership role within the PCN which is carried out in addition to the role to which the post holder is professionally aligned.

Leadership Duties Include:

• First line management of all employees within the PCN Hub
• Carry out and document regular supervision sessions with all accountable employees
• Carry out employee appraisals for the team
• Identify training needs and source solutions
• Deal with first level disciplinary or performance issues
• Provide supervision, coaching and mentoring to teams
• Act as first point of contact for PCN practice colleagues and clinical directors
• Complete any reporting and audit requirements
• Support the operations manager and deputise where necessary
• Become an expert in the post holder's professionally aligned field, advising service development plans and implementing where necessary

Social Prescribing Link Worker Duties Include:

As members of the PCNs team of health professionals, you will take referrals from the PCNs Core Network Practices and from a wide range of agencies to support the health and wellbeing of patients:

• Assess how far a patient's health and wellbeing needs can be met by services and other opportunities available in the community
• Co-produce a simple personalised care and support plan to address the patient's health and wellbeing needs by introducing or reconnecting people to community groups and statutory services, and signposting where appropriate
• Evaluate how far the actions in the care and support plan are meeting the patient's health and wellbeing needs
• Provide personalised support to patients, their families and carers to take control of their health and wellbeing, live independently, improve their health outcomes and maintain a healthy lifestyle
• Develop trusting relationships by giving people time and focus on what matters to them
• Take a holistic approach, based on the patient's priorities and the wider determinants of health
• Explore and support access to a personal health budget where appropriate
• Manage and prioritise their own caseload, in accordance with the health and wellbeing needs of their population; and where required and as appropriate, refer patients back to other health professionals within the PCN

Training & Development

• Fully participates in training and development, meeting any, and all, requirements of any courses funded, or part-funded by the Alliance
• Engages in a programme of ongoing support and feedback to maximise the benefit of the training and development plan

You will undertake any tasks consistent with the level of the post and the scope of the role, ensuring that work is delivered in a timely and effective manner. Duties may vary from time to time, without changing the general character of the post or the level of responsibility.

Confidentiality

• In the performance of the duties outlined in this job description, the post-holder may have access to confidential information relating to patients and their carers, practice staff and other healthcare workers. All such information from any source is to be regarded as strictly confidential.
• Information relating to patients, carers, colleagues, other healthcare workers or the business of the organisation may only be divulged to authorised persons in accordance with the SGPA policies and procedures, and the protection of personal and sensitive data.

Health & Safety

• The post-holder will assist in promoting and maintaining their own and others health, safety and security as defined in the SGPA Health & Safety Policy
• Identifying the risk involved in work activities and undertaking such activities in a way that manages those risks
• Using appropriate infection control procedures and maintaining work areas in a tidy and safe way and free from hazards
• Ensuring that all accidents are reported and investigated and follow up action taken where necessary
• Maintain all mandatory training

Equality and Diversity

• The post-holder will support the equality, diversity and rights of patients, carers and colleagues
• Acting in a way that recognizes the importance of people's rights, interpreting them in a way that is consistent with current legislation
• Respecting the privacy, dignity, needs and beliefs of patients, carers and colleagues
• Behaving in a manner which is welcoming to and of the individual, is non-judgemental and respects their circumstances, feelings, priorities and rights

Quality

• The post-holder will strive to maintain quality and will:
• Alert other team members to issues of quality and risk
• Assess own performance and take accountability for own actions, either directly or under supervision
• Contribute to the effectiveness of the team by reflecting on own and team activities and making suggestions on ways to improve and enhance the team's performance
• Work effectively with individuals in other agencies to meet patients' needs
• Effectively manage own time, workload and resources

Communication

• The post-holder should recognize the importance of effective communication within the team and will strive to:
• Communicate effectively with other team members, patients and carers and system partners and stakeholders
• Recognise people's needs for alternative methods of communication and respond accordingly

Person Specification

Qualifications Essential

• Demonstrable commitment to personal and professional development
• Proficient in the use of Microsoft Office applications

Desirable

• Qualification or training in motivational coaching, or equivalent experience
• Leadership or management qualification

Motivation and Skills Essential

• Work effectively and collaboratively as part of a team but also autonomously
• High level and adaptable communication skills across a range of individuals of all ages, backgrounds and cultures with varying social and emotional needs
• Ability to help people identify issues that impact on health including debt, housing, unemployment and loneliness
• Promote and maintain good working relationships with a variety of external partners
• Understanding of and commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion
• Ability to work across multiple sites in the Sunderland area
• Provide motivational coaching with the ability to inspire trust and confidence
• Prioritise own work and that of your team

Desirable

• Understanding the impact of economic and environmental factors on people's health and wellbeing
• Ability to support the development of small voluntary led groups

Other Essential

• Confident and comfortable with difficult situations
• Patient, friendly and approachable
• Able to work under pressure and emotionally resilient
• Ability to actively listen, empathise with people and provide non-judgemental support
• Ability to respect and value individual lifestyles, backgrounds and cultures
• Committed to the vision and values of the SGPA and able to embed this within teams
• Patient and tolerant
• Fair and compassionate
• Meet DBS Standards and meet criminal record checks
• Full UK Driving licence & use of own car

Experience Essential

• Experience of leading teams
• Understanding of team relationships and dynamics
• Experienced in holding difficult conversations and making appropriate challenges
• Experience of supporting people, their families and carers in a paid or unpaid capacity
• Supporting people, their families and carers with low level mental health issues
• Working in a community setting
• Working collaboratively with different organisations, building trust, confidence and partnerships
• Working with GPs and/or other Health or Social Care providers or knowledge of how systems work
• Accurately collecting, recording information and data whilst maintaining confidentiality
• Ability to identify risk to self and others, identifying and reporting safeguarding incidents

Desirable

• Mental Health First Aid

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: Sunderland GP Alliance

Address: North East BIC, Wearfield, Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, SR5 2TA

Employer's website: https://www.sunderlandgpalliance.co.uk/