Wansbeck Community Link Workers - Social Prescribing

Cygnus Support have formed a partnership with Wansbeck Primary Care Network to provide a Social Prescribing service for the patients of: Seaton Park, Bedlingtonshire, Gables and Guidepost GP surgeries. The Community Link Team, who provide this service, helps patients with non-clinical issues that may be affecting their wellbeing by offering advice and linking them into the support they need.

The Link Workers offer the patient something very valuable……….time, time to really listen to them and help them identify the non-clinical issues they have, which may be effecting their wellbeing.  The Link Worker can then offer advice and link the patient into voluntary, community and statutory services for the practical, social, and emotional support  they need.

Common issues the patient may be facing are: money worries, family troubles, housing issues, employment, carer stress, problems managing a long-term illness or disability, bereavement, and loneliness.  Or the patient may just wish to engage in a new hobby, be more active or take up volunteering.

The Community Link Workers also work closely with Voluntary and Community groups and services to ensure sustainability. This could be linking groups to share resources or signposting to funding streams or training opportunities.

The team also help to identify gaps in provision and work with partner organisations to fill those gaps.

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