Job Description

Hamara Healthy Living Centre

Job title:

Patient Ambassador

Service Area

: Health

Responsible for:

No line management responsibility

Responsible to:

Service Manager

Type of Contract

: permanent

Working locations

: Burmatofts, Harehills, Richmond Hill

Hours:

37.5 hours per week

Salary:

26, 000 pro rata to hours worked.

Job Summary/Main purpose of the job:

Hamara HLC are currently recruiting a Patient Ambassador to provide Social Prescribing support to patients registered across 12 GP Surgeries in Burmantofts, Harehills and Richmond Hill Primary Care Network (BHR PCN).

Social Prescribing empowers people to take control of their health and wellbeing through quality referral and signposting, connecting people to community groups/organisations and statutory services for practical and emotional support for their multiple non-clinical needs. Patient Ambassadors dedicate time, focus on What Matters To Me and take a holistic approach when assessing and addressing patients' non-clinical need.

Through increasing people's active involvement with their local communities, Social Prescribing can help to strengthen personal/community resilience and reduces health inequalities by addressing the wider determinants of health, such as low income, poor housing, physical inactivity, education/employment opportunities.

Social Prescribing particularly works for people with long-term conditions (including support for low-level mental health), for people who are lonely or isolated, or have complex social needs which affect their wellbeing. The Patient Ambassador role is suitable for people who are able to work holistically and flexibly, in a fast-paced environment alongside other PCN and general practice colleagues.

About us

This is an exciting opportunity to join an established Personalised Care Team, in BHR PCN's Care Coordination Hub, which encompasses Patient Pathway Navigators, Health and Wellbeing Coaches, Children and Young Person's Patient Ambassadors and Population Health Management.

Hamara HLC stands out as a beacon within the community and voluntary sector, currently delivering several different strands of work including: Health Promotion, Youth Activities, Older People's Services, Saturday Supplementary School, Learning Disabilities, Education and Employment & Training Programmes.

BHR PCN is a network of 12 GP practices covering the geographical area of Burmantofts, Harehills and Richmond Hill, with a common goal of improving the health of our local population, a significant number of whom experience multiple deprivations. Our vision is to collaborate with community statutory and non-statutory bodies for the benefit of our patients. Informed by data, we work to reduce inequalities, enable practices to be sustainable and make a positive difference to our patients' lives.

You will be expected to work across a number of GP Practices, with a set patient population, alongside both clinical and non-clinical staff, to meet the needs of patients by providing direct care using established guidelines. Further ongoing support is provided through both local and countrywide governance and peer support groups. Additional professional development in line with the individuals needs will be available with shadowing, e-learning, relevant courses/conferences and higher level training opportunities being supported.

Employees will have access to the following benefits:

Bright HR employee discount and benefits scheme

Employee Assistance Programme

Free Parking on company premises when available

Reimbursement of work expenses (work related mileage and parking)

Enrolment to the NHS pension scheme

Annual leave of 25 days per year, plus 8 days bank holiday

Responsibilities/Main Duties:

This is an innovative role designed to work in an outcome focused way to improve people's quality of life and health and wellbeing by recognising that this can be affected by a range of social, economic and environmental factors. You will support patients to achieve their personal aspirations, participate in their local and wider communities, enhance effective personal support networks, maintain healthy lifestyles and lead independent and fulfilled lives.

You will develop links with local communities and VCS to ensure delivery of integrated, patient focused care, demonstrating flexibility in the role, and a caring attitude towards patients.

You will have excellent organisational, recording and communication skills together with a good working knowledge of primary care and the challenges facing patient care in the NHS.

You will work individually with patients in a variety of settings such as GP practices, community settings and home visits.

Main Tasks:

Taking a holistic approach when assessing patients' non-medical needs, based on the persons priorities and the wider determinants of health.

Offering sound signposting and onward referral options for patients ideally available locally, to ensure their non-medical needs are met.

Following Standard Operating Procedure to effectively case manage independently.

Effectively time managing a caseload, through prioritising workload in accordance with needs/urgent support necessities, meeting scheduling requirements promptly and referring back/escalating to other health professionals or agencies.

Inputting clear, concise, accurate, judgment free, timely case notes into Electronic Patient Record Systems

Meeting patients one-to-one in person, either in a clinic setting, community setting or making home visits where appropriate as well as providing service delivery via telephone appointments where appropriate.

Liaising effectively through open communication with the wider PCN Personalised Care Teams, ensuring integrated care for the patient, making full use of all PCN patient provisions available.

Maintaining strong working relationships with general practice colleagues, through attendance at Practice Meetings providing 'service refreshers', Q&A sessions and groupwork promotion.

Undertaking regular training requirements as Hamara, the PCN, Service Manager see fit.

Assessing the patients' abilities and preferences, advising and supporting them to engage in a variety of areas/activities.

Encouraging choices and actions that are acceptable and achievable to patients while being aware of cultural and social considerations

Supporting patients to recognize and change their current lifestyle, identifying how it might affect their health and well-being

,

beingsensitive to barriers such as affordability and accessibility.

Forging strong links with local VCSE organisations, community and

neighbourhood level groups utilising their networks and building on what is already available to create a menu of community groups and assets.

Proactively delivering events within the community to engage with 'harder to reach' groups, promoting service and encouraging self-referrals.

Facilitating groupwork delivery, where appropriate and agreed by Service Manager.

Collating quarterly reports in the form of Case Studies and Project Report for the purposes of demonstrating impact.

General Work Related Expectations

To work in accordance with all Hamara HLC and BHR PCN Policies and Procedures

To commit to the ethos and values of Hamara HLC and BHR PCN

To work in accordance with all relevant legislation

To identify and attend training as required

To undergo regular supervision

To attend any meetings, as required.

To support colleagues with any operational needs, as and when required.

To work outside of ordinary office hours, as required.

To complete any other reasonable duties, as required.

Satisfactory DBS Clearance

To undertake any other duties as required, appropriate to the post

To work as part of the healthcare team to seek feedback, continually improving the service and contributing to business planning

Role Development:

Options for development of the service are vast and we would ask the Patient Ambassador to regularly review and develop their impact across the group with initial options for role development including:

Identifying trends in terms of patient need and where feasible delivering 'in house' group sessions as a support solution or facilitating patients to deliver their own support services

Information Technology

To have an overall understanding of IT systems across their collaboration and be able to produce reports and information to support the value of the work undertaken by the roll holder.

Confidentiality:

In the course of seeking treatment, patients entrust us with, or allow us to gather, sensitive information in relation to their health and other matters. They do so in confidence and have the right to expect that staff will respect their privacy and act appropriately

In the performance of the duties outlined in this job description, the post-holder may have access to confidential information relating to patients and their carers, practice staff and other healthcare workers. They may also have access to information relating to individual practices as a business organisation. All such information from any source is to be regarded as strictly confidential and should not be shared- including practice specific details where there is no written agreement to share such detail.

Information relating to patients, carers, colleagues, other healthcare workers or the business of the practice may only be divulged to authorised persons in accordance with the practice policies and procedures relating to confidentiality and the protection of personal and sensitive data.

Health and safety:

The post-holder will take collaborative responsibility for the full range of promotion and management of their own and other's health, safety and security as defined in the practice Health and Safety policy, the practice Health and Safety manual, and the practice infection control policy and published procedures. This remains the responsibility of individual practices however in delivering services under the level 3 project the collaborative wish to ensure the Health and Safety of any staff/patients involved: This will include (but will not be limited to):

Ensuring job holders across the practice adhere to their individual responsibilities for infection control and health and safety, using a system of observation, audit and check, hazard identification, questioning, reporting and risk management. Maintain and up-to-date knowledge of health and safety and infection control statutory and best practice guidelines and ensure implementation across the business. Using personal Security System within the workplace according to practice guidelines Identifying the risks involved in work activities and undertaking such activities in a way that manages those risks across the business. Making effective use of training to update knowledge and skills, and initiate and manage the training of others. Using appropriate infection control procedures, maintaining work areas in a tidy and Safe way and free from hazards, and initiation of remedial/corrective action where needed Actively identifying, reporting, and correction of health and safety hazards and infection hazards immediately where recognised keeping own work areas and general/patient areas generally clean, identifying issues and hazards/risks in relation to other work areas within the business, and assuming responsibility in the maintenance of general standards of cleanliness across the business in consultation (where appropriate) with other sector managers Undertaking periodic infection control training (minimum annually) Routine management of own team/team areas and maintenance of work space standards

Equal Opportunities:

Hamara is an equal opportunities employer. Hamara is committed to promoting anti-discriminatory practices within the society, the organisation and in the promotion of its services to the community. Hamara expects all employees to understand, comply with and to promote its policies in their work and to challenge prejudice and discrimination issues, as appropriate, and undertake any appropriate training.

Safeguarding:

Hamara is committed to ensuring the safeguarding and wellbeing of children and vulnerable adults, and all applicants and staff will be required to demonstrate understanding of and commitment to best safeguarding practice.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Please be aware, you may be expected to do conduct yourself in other ways and undertake different duties which are reasonable, in the opinion of the Company. Your job description is not limited and may be reasonably modified as necessary to meet the needs of the business.

Hamara Healthy Living Centre

Person Specification

Patient Ambassador

Requirements

Essential

Experience of working within health sector, VCS or Social Care

Experience of working with local communities

Experience of giving information, advice and guidance to individuals with additional vulnerabilities

Experience of working with people facing health inequalities and multiple deprivations.

Experience of working with multiple stakeholders

Desirable

Experience of working in Primary Care

Experience as Social Prescriber

Experience of establishing and facilitating user groups.

Experience of establishing new initiatives within a disadvantaged community.

Specialist Knowledge/ Skills

Essential

Knowledge of personalised care approach.

Understanding of the wider determinants of health including social, economic, and environmental factors and their impact on communities, individuals their families and carers

Knowledge of Health Inequalities

Ability to communicate well with patients, carers, volunteers, colleagues and with professional staff in other organisations.

Excellent interpersonal, influencing/negotiation and organisation skills with the ability to work to tight deadlines.

Ability to listen, empathise with people and provide person- centred support in a non- judgemental way.

Able to work with people from all backgrounds and communities, respecting lifestyles and diversity.

Able to support people in a way that inspires trust and confidence, motivating others to reach their potential.

Ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing, with people, their families, carers, community groups, partner agencies and stakeholders.

Ability to maintain effective working relationships and to promote collaborative practice with all colleagues.

Ability to work flexibly and enthusiastically within a team or on own initiative, with minimum supervision.

A high degree of self-motivation and self-confidence.

Ability to liaise successfully with a variety of voluntary and statutory agencies.

Ability to work in ways which promote equality of opportunity and participation

Desirable:

Knowledge of SystemOne or EMIS Electronic Health Record

Knowledge of how the NHS works, including primary care

Knowledge of the range of services available locally

Knowledge and understanding of Social Prescribing

Knowledge and understanding of customs and practices within migrant communities new to the area.

Ability to speak a relevant community language.

Full driving license and use of own car

Knowledge of current issues related to third sector.

Qualifications

Essential:

Degree or equivalent in relevant field

Demonstrable commitment to professional and personal development

NVQ level 3, Advanced level or equivalent experience.

Desirable:

oTraining in motivational interviewing or coaching

oSocial Prescribing qualification.

Other job related requirements

Ability to demonstrate a commitment to Equality and Diversity. Flexibility in the hours worked - to include working evenings and weekends, if required.
Job Type: Permanent

Pay: 26,000.00 per year

Application question(s):

Email admin@hamara.co.uk to request an Application Form from Monday 5th January 2026.
Work Location: In person