Personalised Care
Staying healthy isn’t always about medical conditions and medical care, which is why we have a health and wellbeing team who can work with you to improve your quality of life.
Our team consists of Health and Wellbeing Coaches and Social Prescribers.
Health And Wellbeing Coaches
Health and wellbeing coaches work with you to help you manage your own health. You work together to look at ways to improve existing health problems or prevent new ones.
The role of the coach is to help you identify your needs and set goals and to support you in reaching those goals through a personalised plan with manageable steps. This could include anything from healthy eating to physical activity or managing long-term conditions.
Coaches are based in doctors’ practices – you may be referred to them by the reception team or by a medical professional in the surgery, or you can request to see them by contacting the surgery.
Health coaching is a partnership between health and care practitioners and people.
It guides and prompts people to change their behaviour, so they can make healthcare choices based on what matters to them.
It also supports them to become more active in their health and care.
To download a Health and Well Being self-referral form, click here
Social Prescribers
The role of Social Prescribers is to help people address social problems they are facing that impact their wellbeing – there are many life problems that make you feel unwell. Our Social Prescribers are there to listen and help, using their connections with voluntary organisations, clubs and specialised services to improve patients’ quality of life.
Our Social Prescribing team are known as Link Workers and they take a holistic approach to people's health and wellbeing, giving people the time and space to talk and focusing on each individual's definition of 'what matters to me.'
They connect people to the most appropriate and helpful community groups and statutory services providing practical and emotional support.
Social Prescribing Link Workers also support existing community groups to be accessible and sustainable, and to help people to start new groups, working collaboratively with all local partners.
They will visit you at home to chat about the issues you are facing, which could include:
Living alone
Feeling lonely
Money worries
Language barriers
Work or unemployment
Housing issues
Children and families
Health and fitness
Weight problems
Smoking
Together, you’ll work out what’s important to you and find local activities, benefits and services that will make life easier and better. They’ll support you to access those services too.
People can be referred to Link Workers from a wide range of local agencies, including GPs, pharmacies, multi-disciplinary teams, hospital discharge teams, allied health professionals, the fire service, the police, job centres, social care services, housing associations and voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations.
Our Receptionists or Health and Wellbeing team can refer you to a Social Prescriber via https://services.thejoyapp.com/en/listings/5628 or you can request to see one yourself by emailing barnsleyccg.pcnsocialprescribing@nhs.net or by downloading a self-referral Social Prescribing form here
Remember, your doctor is not the only person on our team who can help you.