Job overview

The Health Links team provide an essential interpreting and advocacy service to diverse speaking communities across BNSSG to ensure that people, who first language is not English can access the support, guidance and services required to stay well.

The Health Links team are well regarded and trusted members of their own communities and therefore can support local people in understanding how they can find out about serves and support to keep themselves, their families, and communities stay well.

Many of us have specific areas of interest and focus that can further support diverse speaking communities in understanding the complexity of the Health, Social Care and Voluntary Systems across the BNSSG area. For example, increasingly, it is important for people to understand the changing ways in which mental health and well-being services can also help people to stay well.

Sirona provides community-based health services and support and increasingly, we are aware of the health inequalities that exist for some of our communities. This team ensures that people who may face barriers in accessing health support are able to get the help and support they need stay as well as possible. The Health Links office is based in the Easton area of Bristol but some travel may be required to provide support to people across the Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire (BNSSG)areas, as required. 

Main duties of the job

• Providing an interpreting and advocacy support service, which facilitates communication between Health Service users, relatives and Healthcare professionals. In addition, the post holder will work in partnership with local people and agencies to support greater awareness and provision for currently under resourced communities. 
  
  
• The post holder will contribute to wider discussions and opportunities in assisting health professionals and local agencies in further understanding any cultural care issues around the treatment or advice to a service user.
  
  
• The post holder will develop an effective and collaborative approach to working with both health professionals and voluntary sector partners to ensure the people we support can further understand what services are available across their local communities.
  
  
• The post holder will be part of a team that aims to educate and raise awareness with service users about health care issues through distributing appropriate materials and explaining (and) translating materials according to individual service user’s needs, including paraphrasing jargon, giving relevant information, and signposting users to appropriate services. 

Working for our organisation

Ever dreamt about a career that sparks excitement and fosters your professional growth? Picture yourself waking up eager to make a real difference in our community, surrounded by teams who value your unique ideas.

We are Sirona care & health – England’s largest provider of Adult’s and Children’s Community Services and we’d love for you to join us in Bristol, North Somerset or South Gloucestershire.

Agenda for Change Salary, full NHS benefits, 27+ days’ annual leave, and participation in the NHS Pension Scheme – just a glimpse of the benefits you’ll receive.

We welcome and encourage all applicants. We are committed to having a workforce that reflects the communities we support and are proactively seeking to improve the diversity of our workforce. We know diversity fosters creativity and innovation.

We are committed to equality of opportunity, to being fair and inclusive, and to being a place where all belong. We aim to draw upon the widest possible range of views and experiences to meet the changing needs of our colleagues, partners and communities we serve.

Whether you're starting your journey in healthcare, looking for a fresh challenge within the NHS, or contemplating a career change, don't be daunted by the prospect of something different – we create development opportunities for all our colleagues and apprentices.

Interested? View our benefits leaflet which you can find attached to this vacancy.