GP Link Workers
Each GPLW is allocated to a specific practice, where they work closely with patients, families, and carers, while maintaining strong links with community, voluntary and statutory sector organisations.
Core Principles of the Link Working Service
The service is built around the following key principles:
- Supporting people affected by dementia: We support patients and their family members throughout every stage of dementia—from initial concerns and pre-diagnosis, through to post-diagnosis and adapting to life with the condition. We provide information, guidance, signposting and referrals to relevant groups, services and organisations that can offer further support.
- Social prescribing and general signposting: We provide general social prescribing support, helping patients to identify services, activities, groups, and organisations within their local community that may improve their health, wellbeing and quality of life. This can include support around social isolation, loneliness, emotional wellbeing, physical activity, community activities, financial or practical difficulties, housing, employment, and other wider determinants of health. Where appropriate, patients are connected with relevant community, voluntary and statutory services.
- Supporting carers: We aim to ensure that all carers have the opportunity to receive carer's support and are made aware of any additional support, services, and resources available to them.
- Veteran-friendly practices: We work to ensure that all practices within the PCN are registered as veteran-friendly and provide appropriate support and signposting to relevant services and organisations.
- Dementia-friendly practices: We work to ensure that all practices are dementia-friendly, helping to create welcoming, inclusive and supportive environments for people living with dementia and those who support them.
Who is Considered a Carer?
A carer is anyone, including a child or adult, who provides unpaid support to a family member, partner or friend who needs help because of an illness, frailty, disability, mental health condition or addiction and who could not manage without that support.
When we refer to carers throughout this document, this includes both adult carers and young carers.
The following are GP Link Workers who work for Well Up North PCN:
Carol Gunn
Janette Casson
Lisa Baker
Alison Elsender
The following video from the NHS helps to explain what a Social Prescriber is: