Social Prescriber

About Personalised Care

Personalised care represents a new relationship between people, professionals and the health and care system. It provides a positive shift in power and decision making that enables people to have a voice, to be heard and be connected to each other and their communities.

This approach learns from the experience of social care in embedding personalised care in everyday practice, which has enabled people to take control over the funding for their care. It also builds on pockets of progress made in health.

Critically, personalised care takes a whole-system approach, integrating services around the person including health, social care, public health and wider services. It provides an all-age approach from maternity and childhood right through to end of life, encompassing both mental and physical health and recognises the role and voice of carers. It recognises the contribution of communities and the voluntary and community sector to support people and build resilience.

Social Prescriber Overview

Social Prescribing Link Workers (SPLW) can provide more time and focus on ‘what matters to me’ and take a holistic approach to an individual’s health and wellbeing,  empowering them to have more control. 

By developing supportive relationships with local, voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations, community groups and statutory services, SPLWs are able to make timely, appropriate and supported referrals for individuals who may need practical and emotional support. This is especially for people with long term conditions, those who are lonely or isolated, and/or have complex social needs which affect their wellbeing. 

Responsibilities

• Work with people individually, building trusting relationships, listening closely and working with them to develop a personalised care and support plan, based on what matters to the person.
• Review people’s identified needs actively signpost to wider services
• Proactively identify and work with a cohorts of people, appropriate to the population needs of the PCN e.g. carers
• Support high-risk patient populations before they incur costlier medical intervention
• Support to create a richer picture on practice population health needs and risks; by gaining information about patients’ treatment histories, medication adherence, new symptoms, and management of chronic conditions
• Reduces health inequalities by addressing the wider determinants of health, such as debt, poor housing and physical inactivity
• Increases people’s active involvement with their local communities

Training

Supervision

The employing PCN must identify a first point of contact for advice and support and (if different) a GP to provide supervision for the Social Prescribing Link Worker. This could be provided by one or more named individuals within the PCN.

A PCN will ensure the Social Prescribing Link Worker can discuss patient related concerns and be supported to follow appropriate safeguarding procedures (i.e. abuse, domestic violence and support with mental health) with a relevant GP.