• Job Description

  Req#: B0349-26-0008?language=en&page=154&sort=publicationDateDesc

  Job summary

  Working with the Social Prescribing team based within OWLS, the role will include visiting individuals who have been referred to the project by GPs, NHS staff or other agencies, on a one to one basis, accessing their holistic situation and supporting and improving their health and wellbeing with non-medical intervention, such as linking them to activities and opportunities within the VCF (Voluntary Community and Faith) sector.

  We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role.

  Main duties of the job

  The post holder will work in collaboration with OWLS CIC to deliver a coordinated and high-quality Social Prescribing Link Worker service supporting clients to access and engage with the extensive range of support in the community.

  The post holder will manage a caseload of clients through assessment to onward-referral, working with clients in the practice that have been referred by the GP. They will provide ongoing support for an allocated timeframe to promote engagement with identified services and achievement of goals.

  The role requires extensive liaison with statutory and non-statutory services, to both generate referrals into the service and support access to relevant local services, so that seamless and joined up local services are provided for the individual. The post holder will have demonstrable high levels of emotional intelligence, with working practices based upon compassion and empathy.

  In addition, the post holder will contribute to the development of the service and will participate in support, supervision and training as required.

  About us

  Employment will be with Out of Hours West Lancashire CIC Limited (OWLS). We host roles on behalf of the three West Lancashire Primary Care Networks (PCNs) and their member practices.

  OWLS is a small GP owned and led not-for-profit primary care organisation run by GPs and health professionals. As a not-for-profit organisation all the money we generate through service contracts is reinvested in providing patient care.

  We were founded in the 90s by a small group of GPs to provide high quality out of hours services. In 2017, we became the West Lancashire GP Federation. The Federation supports and provides services directly and with partners, for West Lancashire GP practices and provides a vehicle to bid for and provide primary care services.

  Details

  Date posted

  18 March 2026

  Pay scheme

  Other

  Salary

  £25,486.50 a year

  Contract

  Permanent

  Working pattern

  Full-time

  Reference number

  B0349-26-0008

  Job locations

  Matthew Ryder Clinic

  20 Dingle Road

  Upholland

  Skelmersdale

  Lancashire

  WN8 0EN

  
  

  Job description

  Job responsibilities

  • Take referrals from and make referrals to a wide range of agencies within Primary Care Networks
  • Co-produce personalised support plans with individuals, their families and carers to take control of their wellbeing, live independently and improve their health outcomes.
  • Developing trusting relationships by giving people time and focus on what matters to me.
  • Take a holistic approach, based on the persons priorities and the wider determinants of health.
  • It is vital that you 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 e.g. when there is a mental health need requiring a qualified practitioner.

  Referrals

  • Be proactive in developing strong links with all local agencies to encourage referrals, recognising what they need to be confident in the service to make appropriate referrals.

  • Be proactive in developing strong links with all local agencies to encourage referrals, recognising what they need to be confident in the service to make appropriate referrals.
  • Work in partnership with all local agencies to raise awareness of social prescribing and how partnership working can reduce pressure on statutory services, improve health outcomes and enable a holistic approach to care.
  • Work with the practice and community staff, to identify and support individuals at risk of loss of independence or hospital admission as a result of inadequate social support.
  • Seek regular feedback about the quality of service and impact of social prescribing on referral agencies.
  • Be proactive in encouraging self-referrals and connecting with all local communities, particularly those communities that statutory agencies may find hard to reach.

  Provide personalised support

  • Meet people on a one-to-one basis, making home visits where appropriate within organisations policies and procedures. Give people time to tell their stories and focus on what matters to me.
  • Help people identify the wider issues that impact on their health and wellbeing, such as debt, poor housing, being unemployed, loneliness and caring responsibilities.
  • Develop a comprehensive knowledge of wider support services for people with non-clinical needs that impact on their wellbeing and health outcomes, such as social isolation, wellbeing, housing, unemployment, welfare benefits.
  • Help people maintain or regain independence through living skills, adaptations enablement approaches and simple safeguards.
  • Work with individuals to co-produce a simple personalised support plan based on the persons priorities, interests, values and motivations including what they can expect from the groups, activities and services they are being connected to and what the person can do for themselves to improve their health and wellbeing.
  • Where appropriate, physically introduce people to community groups, activities and statutory services, ensuring they are comfortable. Follow up to ensure they are happy, able to engage, included and receiving good support.
  • The post holder will be required to have awareness and training in relation to relevant safeguarding policies and procedures and to raise any concerns regarding safeguarding on the individual to the attention of the relevant nominated lead within the team.

  Support community groups and VCSE organisations to receive referrals

  • Forge strong links with local VCSE organisations, community and neighbourhood level groups, utilising their networks and building on whats already available to create a map or menu of community groups and assets.
  • Develop supportive relationships with local VCSE organisations, community groups and statutory services, to make timely, appropriate and supported referrals for the person being introduced.

  Work collectively with all local partners to ensure community groups are strong and sustainable

  • Work with GPs, PCNs and wider Multi-disciplinary teams as required.
  • Work with commissioners and local partners to identify unmet needs within the community and gaps in community provision and support development of new groups and services where needed.
  • Encourage people who have been connected to community support through social prescribing to volunteer and give their time freely to others, in order to build their skills and confidence, and strengthen community resilience.

  Data capture

  • Work sensitively with people, their families and carers to capture key information, enabling tracking of the impact of social prescribing on their health and wellbeing.
  • Encourage people, their families and carers to provide feedback and to share their stories about the impact of social prescribing on their lives.
  • Support referral agencies to provide appropriate information about the person they are referring. Use the case management system to track the persons progress.
  • Work closely with GP practices within the PCN to ensure that they are receiving appropriate feedback about the people they have referred.
  • Manage own workload through planning and organising own work schedule, obtaining and organising the necessary information and resources.

  Job description

  Job responsibilities

  • Take referrals from and make referrals to a wide range of agencies within Primary Care Networks
  • Co-produce personalised support plans with individuals, their families and carers to take control of their wellbeing, live independently and improve their health outcomes.
  • Developing trusting relationships by giving people time and focus on what matters to me.
  • Take a holistic approach, based on the persons priorities and the wider determinants of health.
  • It is vital that you 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 e.g. when there is a mental health need requiring a qualified practitioner.

  Referrals

  • Be proactive in developing strong links with all local agencies to encourage referrals, recognising what they need to be confident in the service to make appropriate referrals.

  • Be proactive in developing strong links with all local agencies to encourage referrals, recognising what they need to be confident in the service to make appropriate referrals.
  • Work in partnership with all local agencies to raise awareness of social prescribing and how partnership working can reduce pressure on statutory services, improve health outcomes and enable a holistic approach to care.
  • Work with the practice and community staff, to identify and support individuals at risk of loss of independence or hospital admission as a result of inadequate social support.
  • Seek regular feedback about the quality of service and impact of social prescribing on referral agencies.
  • Be proactive in encouraging self-referrals and connecting with all local communities, particularly those communities that statutory agencies may find hard to reach.

  Provide personalised support

  • Meet people on a one-to-one basis, making home visits where appropriate within organisations policies and procedures. Give people time to tell their stories and focus on what matters to me.
  • Help people identify the wider issues that impact on their health and wellbeing, such as debt, poor housing, being unemployed, loneliness and caring responsibilities.
  • Develop a comprehensive knowledge of wider support services for people with non-clinical needs that impact on their wellbeing and health outcomes, such as social isolation, wellbeing, housing, unemployment, welfare benefits.
  • Help people maintain or regain independence through living skills, adaptations enablement approaches and simple safeguards.
  • Work with individuals to co-produce a simple personalised support plan based on the persons priorities, interests, values and motivations including what they can expect from the groups, activities and services they are being connected to and what the person can do for themselves to improve their health and wellbeing.
  • Where appropriate, physically introduce people to community groups, activities and statutory services, ensuring they are comfortable. Follow up to ensure they are happy, able to engage, included and receiving good support.
  • The post holder will be required to have awareness and training in relation to relevant safeguarding policies and procedures and to raise any concerns regarding safeguarding on the individual to the attention of the relevant nominated lead within the team.

  Support community groups and VCSE organisations to receive referrals

  • Forge strong links with local VCSE organisations, community and neighbourhood level groups, utilising their networks and building on whats already available to create a map or menu of community groups and assets.
  • Develop supportive relationships with local VCSE organisations, community groups and statutory services, to make timely, appropriate and supported referrals for the person being introduced.

  Work collectively with all local partners to ensure community groups are strong and sustainable

  • Work with GPs, PCNs and wider Multi-disciplinary teams as required.
  • Work with commissioners and local partners to identify unmet needs within the community and gaps in community provision and support development of new groups and services where needed.
  • Encourage people who have been connected to community support through social prescribing to volunteer and give their time freely to others, in order to build their skills and confidence, and strengthen community resilience.

  Data capture

  • Work sensitively with people, their families and carers to capture key information, enabling tracking of the impact of social prescribing on their health and wellbeing.
  • Encourage people, their families and carers to provide feedback and to share their stories about the impact of social prescribing on their lives.
  • Support referral agencies to provide appropriate information about the person they are referring. Use the case management system to track the persons progress.
  • Work closely with GP practices within the PCN to ensure that they are receiving appropriate feedback about the people they have referred.
  • Manage own workload through planning and organising own work schedule, obtaining and organising the necessary information and resources.

  Person Specification

  Experience

  Essential

  • Experience of working with health sector and multiple stakeholders
  • Experience and demonstrable evidence of incorporating patient/client views into the development of services e.g. co-production
  • Good understanding of service improvement, innovation, performance improvement across a range of disciplines
  • Experience of working with statutory sector
  • Experience of holistic interviewing and assessment of individuals to produce an action plan
  • Experience of working with and supporting volunteers
  • An understanding of the VCF sector
  • Ability to use a range of IT programmes

  Desirable

  • Understanding of the NHS and social care sector
  • Experience of working with primary care e.g. GP practices

  Skills and Knowledge

  Essential

  • Ability to communicate well with patients, carers, volunteers, colleagues and with professional staff in other organisations
  • Knowledge and skill in the use of recording/maintaining data for reporting
  • Ability to prioritise own workload, work unsupervised and take appropriate decisions
  • Experience in effective use of softer skills listening, lateral thinking, body language and observation
  • Excellent organisational and time management skills
  • Ability to travel around the whole of West Lancashire using appropriate transport to undertake multiple appointments/meetings (in different geographical locations) to meet defined project time slots

  Desirable

  • An appreciation of services and help available for people living in West Lancashire
  • Good networking skills
  • Knowledge and understanding of health inequalities and what actions to take to narrow the gap in health inequalities

  Behaviours and Values

  Essential

  • To respect client confidentiality at all times
  • Good verbal and written communication skills
  • Ability to work calmly whilst under pressure.
  • Ability as part of a team as well as alone
  • Well organised and methodical
  • Able to work flexible hours to suit project needs
  • Presentable with a friendly, approachable manner

  Qualifications

  Essential

  • Degree and/or equivalent experience in health care/social care or related area.
  • Hold certificate for (or be willing to work towards) Levels1 and 2 Safeguarding - Adults and Children

  Desirable

  • Qualification and/or experience in giving information and advice to individuals with differing needs in the community

  Person Specification

  Experience

  Essential

  • Experience of working with health sector and multiple stakeholders
  • Experience and demonstrable evidence of incorporating patient/client views into the development of services e.g. co-production
  • Good understanding of service improvement, innovation, performance improvement across a range of disciplines
  • Experience of working with statutory sector
  • Experience of holistic interviewing and assessment of individuals to produce an action plan
  • Experience of working with and supporting volunteers
  • An understanding of the VCF sector
  • Ability to use a range of IT programmes

  Desirable

  • Understanding of the NHS and social care sector
  • Experience of working with primary care e.g. GP practices

  Skills and Knowledge

  Essential

  • Ability to communicate well with patients, carers, volunteers, colleagues and with professional staff in other organisations
  • Knowledge and skill in the use of recording/maintaining data for reporting
  • Ability to prioritise own workload, work unsupervised and take appropriate decisions
  • Experience in effective use of softer skills listening, lateral thinking, body language and observation
  • Excellent organisational and time management skills
  • Ability to travel around the whole of West Lancashire using appropriate transport to undertake multiple appointments/meetings (in different geographical locations) to meet defined project time slots

  Desirable

  • An appreciation of services and help available for people living in West Lancashire
  • Good networking skills
  • Knowledge and understanding of health inequalities and what actions to take to narrow the gap in health inequalities

  Behaviours and Values

  Essential

  • To respect client confidentiality at all times
  • Good verbal and written communication skills
  • Ability to work calmly whilst under pressure.
  • Ability as part of a team as well as alone
  • Well organised and methodical
  • Able to work flexible hours to suit project needs
  • Presentable with a friendly, approachable manner

  Qualifications

  Essential

  • Degree and/or equivalent experience in health care/social care or related area.
  • Hold certificate for (or be willing to work towards) Levels1 and 2 Safeguarding - Adults and Children

  Desirable

  • Qualification and/or experience in giving information and advice to individuals with differing needs in the community

  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

  Out of Hours West Lancashire CIC Ltd

  Address

  Matthew Ryder Clinic

  20 Dingle Road

  Upholland

  Skelmersdale

  Lancashire

  WN8 0EN

  
  

  Employer's website

  http://westlancsnetworkplus.co.uk (Opens in a new tab)

  Employer details

  Employer name

  Out of Hours West Lancashire CIC Ltd

  Address

  Matthew Ryder Clinic

  20 Dingle Road

  Upholland

  Skelmersdale

  Lancashire

  WN8 0EN

  
  

  Employer's website

  http://westlancsnetworkplus.co.uk (Opens in a new tab)

• About the company

  National Health Service (NHS) is the umbrella term for the publicly-funded healthcare systems of the United Kingdom (UK). The founding principles were that services should be comprehensive, universal and free at the point of delivery—a health service based on clinical need, not ability to pay. Each service provides a comprehensive range of health services, free at the point of use for people ordinarily resident in the United Kingdom apart from dental treatment and optical care.

Notice