The Health and Social Care Alliance Scotland
Job Description
Job title Community Links Practitioner
Based Glasgow
Reporting to Senior Community Links Officer
Key Accountabilities:
Senior Officers
Programme Manager
Assistant Director
Chief Officers
Key Relationships
1:1 relationships with people who are in vulnerable situations
Primary care teams
Third sector and community organisations
Local authorities and health led services
Purpose of the Role
The Community Links Practitioner will provide a person-centred service that is
responsive to the needs and interests of people living in areas affected by socio-
economic deprivation. They will support them to identify issues that affect their
ability to live well. Working collaboratively with the patient, the post holder will
support them through decision making processes to help them decide upon the
issues that they would like to address and help them to overcome any barriers to
addressing these.
The aim of the Links Practitioner Programme is to support people to live well
through strengthening connections between community resources and primary
care in deprived areas in Scotland
Responsibilities of the Role
Provide through good conversations, a specialist, professional and trauma-
informed service to people who are often experiencing complex social
circumstances, using agreed, person-centred principles, building non-
dependant trusted relationships, for monitoring, auditing and evaluating
programme delivery. The Health and Social Care Standards; My support, my
life are the standards which will guide the CLP in their role
https://www.gov.scot/Resource/0052/00520693.pdf
Negotiate and support access for people to community-based services and
activities that will support them to live well. At times, it might be necessary to
sensitively challenge service providers for the benefit of the patient
Build effective pathways to support and help people to navigate existing
complex pathways
Work autonomously, to manage their workload, appointments etc.
Maintain accurate and consistent records at the pre-intervention, progress and
post-intervention stages
Deliver reports in an agreed format timeously as requested by the programme
management team
Enable and support the primary care team and wider cluster to build and
maintain a comprehensive knowledge of services and activities within the local
community areas
Develop professional working relationships with all staff within the GP
practice(s) to become a key member of the practice team ensuring that the
service takes account of the practice profile and individual practice
demographics
Build professional working relationships and develop effective pathways to a
range of service providers within the statutory/public and third sector to ensure
people are able to be supported to negotiate complex pathways. The level of
support will be based upon assessment of need
Build capacity of the primary care team linking with local Health Improvement
teams to adopt community orientated approaches. This will be facilitated
through service improvement methodology
Liaise with primary care teams, service providers, and programme
management team as required
Enable people to identify personal outcomes and priorities to improve their
health and wellbeing, to overcome any barriers to addressing these and where
appropriate, to link people to relevant local and national support services and
activities
Implement effective pathways for accessing the Community Link Practitioner
service to ensure people face minimal barriers and are offered a 1:1
appointment within an appropriate timescale
Develop groups and activities where appropriate
To deliver Alcohol Brief Interventions and contribute towards Local Drug
Partnership targets and HSCP targets
Comply with all policies and procedures
Undertake any other duties as deemed appropriate by line manager, to be able
to effectively support people facing complex problems, the post holder will be
required to demonstrate a high degree of flexibility and commitment to meeting
individual needs.
Data Protection
In line with national legislation, and organisational policy, you will ensure that all
data is processed in a fair, lawful and transparent way, for the specific registered
purpose and will not allow data to be disclosed in any way incompatible with such
purpose or to any unauthorised persons or organisations.
Terms and Conditions
The post holder will be required to adopt a flexible approach to working hours as
travel / occasional additional hours will be required. However, this will be
reimbursed through the organisation’s Time off in Lieu scheme.
Person Specification
Essential
Ability to develop a non-dependent relationship with awareness of personal and
professional boundaries, whilst being supportive and respectful of others and
non-judgmental
Resilience
A solution-focused approach
Non-discriminatory values
Knowledge and experience of working with people who are experiencing
complex social and emotional circumstances. For example, people who have
social, emotional and mental health issues, complex life circumstances,
experience chronic pain, drug and alcohol misuse or homelessness
Strong understanding of the challenges faced by people living in areas of
deprivation in relation to living well
Proven and highly effective interpersonal and communication skills in working
with people on a 1:1 basis and with organisations
Excellent influencing, negotiation and motivational skills in order to engage
people and to enable them to take up a wide range of community services and
activities
Excellent networking and information management skills
Ability to manage time effectively
Ability to effectively manage priorities
Good understanding of data protection
Knowledge of facilitating service improvement
Ability to work effectively as part of a team and on own initiative
IT skills in word processing, spreadsheets, email and the internet
An ability and willingness to travel extensively within the local community and
wider area.
Desirable
At least two years’ experience of working within Community Learning and
Development, Social Work, health or related field or educated to degree level or
equivalent within a relevant field, e.g. community education, public health,
community nursing, mental health
Experience of working in primary care
PVG Scheme Membership is required for this post.
