Work Health and Employment Coah

Work Health and Employment Coach

Salary: £27,452.08 - £30,125.89 depending on experience

Hours: Fixed term contract 12 months - 37.5 hours per week with flexible hours to be agreed Monday – Friday with flexibility to work Saturdays if required

Base: Worcester City Primary Care Network - St Martin's Gate Surgery

Reports to: PCN Wellbeing Team Lead

Job Summary:

This is an exciting opportunity to join an established team within Worcester City PCN. The role will give you a unique chance to work as part of a multidisciplinary team, whilst also building links with a range of other local services and be part of a county wide Work and Health coach network. We will particularly welcome applicants with lived experience and those with strong connections to Worcester City.

The successful candidate will be part of the Workwell programme and will work with people from a range of backgrounds to help them return to work. They will work closely with participants within the local community to assess the barriers they experience in returning to work and provide support and coaching along with health and employment advice to overcome these barriers and return to work.

This role would suit someone with previous experience of coaching and mentoring, clinical experience is not required and training will be provided for the successful candidate.

Workwell is a prevention and early intervention service to support people to overcome health conditions that affect their ability to start, stay and succeed in work. The post holder will be one of about 15 coaches that works in Primary Care, either in a PCN or a GP Federation. They will conduct assessments to identify the key health barriers to employment and provide health and employment advice to overcome those barriers. They will manage a caseload of people whose barriers to employment may be because of physical health, mental health and/or social situations. Using the WorkWell pathway work plan, the post holder will provide 1:1 coaching and prescribe either multidisciplinary in-house support or signpost and refer to external services.

The post holder will facilitate access to the service quickly to the following groups of individuals:

• People who are currently working but struggling to remain active in their role because of their health condition. They may be experiencing periodic episodes of sickness which they or their employer feels is getting worse.
• People who are employed but currently off sick and would benefit from support to return to work.
• People who have recently fallen out of employment and are looking to return to the workplace in a different role as soon as possible.

Post holders will not be required to work with people who have experienced long-term economic inactivity, there are other services available for these people.

The service will assist participants to progress their journey towards employment who are experiencing barriers into employment, support participants to remain in work who are on long term sick leave or struggling in the workplace due to a health condition.

The service will use a coaching based approach and use light-touch holistic therapy or triage to provide early-intervention work and a health assessment service. The service will provide advice and training to potential employers on reasonable adjustments and retention of employees where necessary. This service will reduce health inequalities as employment is evidenced as a way of maintaining good health and well-being.

Flexibility and adaptability are required due to the unpredictability of the environment and resource availability under which work will need to be carried out.

Staff will work to Vertis Health’s lone worker policy and ensure that they have a mobile phone in working order so that communications can be achieved at all times.

Person Specification:

Essential Criteria

• Experience of supporting individuals with health, wellbeing, employment, or social-related challenges.
• Ability to build positive relationships and engage effectively with a wide range of people from diverse backgrounds.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, including active listening and motivational interviewing techniques.
• Experience of managing a caseload and supporting individuals to achieve agreed goals and outcomes.
• Understanding of the barriers that can affect people’s health, wellbeing, and ability to access or sustain employment.
• Ability to work independently, prioritise workload, and manage competing demands effectively.
• Good organisational, administration, and record-keeping skills.
• Competent IT skills, including the use of Microsoft Office and electronic record systems.
• Commitment to confidentiality, safeguarding, equality, diversity, and inclusion.
• Ability to work collaboratively with healthcare professionals, employers, community organisations, and other stakeholders.

Desirable Criteria

• Previous experience working within Primary Care, the NHS, Social Prescribing, Employment Support, or the Voluntary and Community Sector.
• Knowledge of local health, wellbeing, employment, and support services.
• Understanding of welfare benefits, employment legislation, or vocational rehabilitation principles.
• Experience of supporting individuals with long-term health conditions, disabilities, or mental health needs.
• Relevant qualification in health, social care, employment support, coaching, counselling, or a related field.
• Experience of delivering group sessions, workshops, or training.
• Understanding of the Primary Care Network (PCN) model and personalised care approach.
• Full driving licence and access to a vehicle for travel across multiple locations (where required).