Social Prescribing Link Worker, Pulmonary Rehab

at  Guys and St Thomas NHS Foundation Trust

Pulmonary Rehabilitation (PR) is the NICE-recommended, gold standard treatment for patients with breathlessness as a result of a long-term condition, including Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), Asthma, Bronchiectasis and some cancers. PR is offered across South East London, with patients being referred into the service from respective secondary care clinical teams in the 6 boroughs. However, despite its status as an evidence-based successful system which improves both physical and mental health outcomes for patients with chronic breathlessness, uptake and completion of PR is not as good as it could be, leaving patients struggling with their condition and experiencing poor health outcomes.
This is an exciting role for an experienced Social Prescribing Link Worker to work with the GSTT Pulmonary Rehab and Respiratory teams to provide personalised support to individuals identified as having high levels of social need.
The Link Worker will work as part and within a multidisciplinary health and care team to provide 1:1 support with individuals, their families and carers as who are directed to them by the Pulmonary Rehab and Respiratory team.
A key part of the role will be developing relationships with each patient and spending time to understand what matters to them, then supporting the process of connecting people to community groups and statutory services for on-going practical and emotional support.
This role will be patient-facing; both in secondary care setting and out in the community, proactively supporting a cohort of people to develop/input into a holistic package of care working with existing multidisciplinary teams. You will ensure referrals are followed-up and the outcome is reported back; helping to improve communication and liaison between general practice and other organisations as well as realise impact and outcomes.
Recognising that this is a pilot role, you will work with the Pulmonary Rehab and Respiratory team in an MDT-type model to develop structures and processes shaping the new Link Worker role within the team. Furthermore, you will provide updates and formal reports to both the host organisation (GSTT) and IHL Southwark, including data and progress updates, and sharing insights into how the clinical team could better support and care for its population.
The Trust consists of St Thomas’ Hospital at Waterloo, including the Evelina Children’s Hospital, and Guy’s Hospital at London Bridge. We are also part of King’s Health Partners (KHP), which comprises King’s College London, Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust. KHP is one of just five accredited UK Academic Health Sciences Centres (AHSCs). Through our AHSC, we are committed to making research and education integral to the delivery of high quality clinical care. From the 1st February 2021 GSTT has committed to form formal partnership with the Royal Brompton and Harefield Hospitals.
Our hospitals have a long and proud history, dating back almost 900 years, and have been at the forefront of medical progress and innovation since they were founded. We continue to build on these traditions and have a reputation for clinical, teaching and research excellence.
We provide a full range of hospital services for our local communities, as well as community health services for people living in Lambeth and Southwark. We also provide specialist services for patients from further afield, including cancer, cardiac, kidney, women’s and orthopaedic services, and we are home to the Evelina Children’s Hospital. We have one of the largest critical care units in the UK and one of the busiest A&E departments in London. See www.guysandstthomas.nhs.uk for further details.
Please see the attached job description, person specification and FRF for more details. Please also see contact details below

Please refer the Job description for details