Member Spotlight- Sapphire McCalla
Name: Sapphire McCalla
Job title: Social Prescriber
Organisation: Handsworth Wood & Great Barr PCN
Location: England, Birmingham
Please summarise your role responsibilities
To support patients, carrying out person centred assessments, helping patients set goals, researching appropriate services and groups to meet the patient’s need, making facilitated onward referrals and following up.
Participating in regular meetings, presenting updates at staff, volunteer, MDT and clinical meetings, participating in case reviews
Supporting link work volunteers, organising and carrying out interviews with potential candidates
Maintaining appropriate patient records in line with the PCN’s policies, including keeping up to date accurate records of social prescribing activities using a database; developing and maintaining effective systems and processes; producing written information for GP surgeries and other partners and supporting service evaluation
Working with Operational Lead to develop and maintain good working relationships with partner organisations and health professionals whilst also promoting the service to ensure it is visible and well understood amongst all stakeholders
To undertake other tasks as required that contribute to the smooth operation of the Social Prescribing Service i.e. facilitating coffee mornings, carer’s groups, group consultations, MDT meetings and meeting CQC GP Qof targets for end of life patient’s families/carers
What is your most significant accomplishment in your role?
Collaborations with local services such as weight loss, network neighbour-hood schemes and coffee mornings
Being asked to share my tips/ideas with another local PCN Social Prescriber
Awarded the physical activity bid by Birmingham City Council and facilitation the focus groups.
Helping to hit the end of life Qof target by capturing the support received by families/carers for patients on end of life care
Role of Social Prescribing Regional Champion of the Midlands
Helping a mother find accommodation, helping a lady lose weight, helping a COPD patient contact the council for house repairs, helping a gentleman get his universal credit back and connecting a lady with social anxiety to a coffee morning.
What is the biggest challenge you are currently facing?
Getting laptops/phones to work remotely and safely
Getting a consultation template embedded in Emis Web
Not receiving regular supervision
Do you have any words of wisdom for Social Prescribing Link Workers and/or Social Prescribing Programmes?
Make sure your managers have introduced you to all services/ GP practices and given you your log ins before starting the role.
Make sure protected time has been put aside for supervision
Have a spreadsheet to keep track of patients
Always put time aside in the working week to catch up on admin
Make it clear to all parties what you do, what referrals you can accept and how they can refer (social prescribing criteria)
What do you do for fun when not working?
I am a member of the Birmingham Community Gospel Choir. We have appeared on Britain’s Got Talent, Welsh Choir Documentary, Songs of Praise, Sports Personality of The Year, Degineers and will be appearing on Krufts.
I am also a member of Slimming World which has helped me to lose 3 stone. I enjoy going to group every week and have made lots of friends who offer moral support.
How does National Association of Link Workers add value to Social Prescribing and Link Workers?
It helps raise the profile/awareness of social prescribing in my area. It will increase my knowledge of social prescribing and keep up to date with all plans for the service nationally. It has given me access to the social prescribing qualification. It has given me the opportunity to receive supervision. Finally, it will improve my leadership and public speaking skills when promoting the service to a large audience/at workshops.
Sapphire is National Association of Link Workers point of contact in Midlands providing localised leadership and support to Link Workers.
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