Accelerating the recruitment of social prescribing link workers

Contents

 

Classification: Official

Publications approval reference: 001559 / C0656

To: CCG social prescribing leads, CCG primary care leads, PCN clinical directors, NHS England and NHS Improvement regional primary care leads.

31 July 2020

Dear colleagues

Social prescribing link workers (SPLWs) have been an important part of the response to COVID-19, helping to support a wider group of people with mental health and social issues and contributing to reducing pressure on general practice. Therefore, we are funding a time-limited support offer to cover recruitment and induction costs for additional primary care network (PCN) directed enhanced service (DES)-funded SPLWs. The offer includes:

  • Option 1: Funding for local voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations to provide a full recruitment and induction service. A one-off fee of £3,000 (including VAT) will be provided for the first link worker, and £2,600 for each subsequent link worker. This includes advertising the post, processing applications, shortlisting applicants, virtual interviews, taking up references, DBS checks and notifying candidates and basic induction, ensuring that the SPLW has access to appropriate equipment and supervision. Funding will flow from NHS England and NHS Improvement to the integrated care system (ICS)/sustainability and transformation partnerships (STP) personalised care lead clinical commissioning group (CCG) for onward transfer to local CCGs. A short contract template will be made available to CCGs for use with local voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations.
  • Plus: Support from NHS England and NHS Improvement social prescribing team to enable PCNs to connect with local VCSE organisations.
  • Option 2: For PCNs that prefer to undertake the SPLW recruitment process themselves, a recruitment administration service from the South, Central and West Commissioning Support Unit. This includes processing applications, setting up interviews and supporting DBS checks.

This offer will be available for six months from 3 August 2020 to 31 January 2021. All PCNs interested in expanding the number of DES-funded SPLWs are encouraged to submit an expression of interest (see Appendix 1). This should be returned to england.linkworkerrecruitment@nhs.net by Monday 24 August.

If you would like to discuss this support offer, please contact: england.linkworkerrecruitment@nhs.net

Yours sincerely,

Ian Dodge | National Director, Strategy and Innovation | NHS England and NHS Improvement

Appendix 1: Accelerating the recruitment of social prescribing link workers

If you would like to take up this support offer, please send your completed expression of interest form to england.linkworkerrecruitment@nhs.net by Monday 24 August.

Expression of interest form

[See original form in document]

PCN details
Name of PCN:
Key contact
Name:
Email:
Support requested (tick one)
Option 1: VCSE – local VCSE provider of social prescribing services undertakes the full recruitment and induction process (advertising the post, shortlisting applicants, arranging and doing virtual interviews, taking up references, DBS checks, notifying candidates of the outcome and basic induction), working closely with the PCN
Option 2: CSU – South, Central & West CSU provides a basic administrative function (processing applications, arranging interviews and supporting DBS checks); PCN undertakes advertising, selection and induction process