A Community Link Worker (CLW) who supports people with issues affecting their wellbeing has told of the vital help being delivered over the winter period.

Sharon Irvine is a CLW with the Health and Social Care Alliance (Alliance) who are commissioned by Glasgow City Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP). Sharon has been based at Castlemilk Health Centre for two years.

She is one of a network of 74 link workers operating across Glasgow, which includes three ‘thematic’ CLWs with specific roles to help those struggling with homelessness, seeking asylum and patients of CAMHS (child and adolescent mental health service).

The Community Link Worker programme was introduced 10 years ago and aims to help people who contact their GP with issues that aren’t medical but are impacting on their lives.

This includes a range of social issues such as loneliness and isolation, money and debt help, energy costs, housing and problems with their mental health and wellbeing.

Glasgow City’s CLWs are typically embedded in ‘Deep End’ GP practices in 80 of the city’s most deprived areas, with their presence based on the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD).

People can be referred by their GP or any member of the multidisciplinary primary care team, as long as they’re registered with a practice with a dedicated CLW.

They can also self-refer, and there’s no limit on how many times they’re in touch with their CLW, who can link people in to support from other organisations in their community depending on their individual needs.  

As well as helping people during appointments with a range of issues, Sharon is one of three CLWs who lead a weekly walking group that brings participants together to make community connections, reduce social isolation and increase healthy activity.

Sharon’s walking group ends each walk with a cup of tea and a chat in a local church hall, giving an additional social element that she says has resulted in people making ‘friends for life’.

CLWs often see barriers to accessing support or activities. They work with people to overcome these, for example, they recently accessed and provided warm and waterproof jackets for members of a walking group who would otherwise be unable to afford them, ensuring there are no barriers to their participation.

Sharon also helps run a local bereavement group with the Prince and Princess of Wales Hospice, and explained that the Christmas and New Year period can be especially difficult for those who have lost loved ones.

She said: “Most of the services we offer help people with issues such as housing, finances, benefits, food or fuel poverty and isolation; however, it can be any issue that’s affecting their wellbeing. Some of the organisations we link into would be mental health charities or fuel banks that help people with fuel costs especially over the winter.

“Over the winter the biggest issues we see are generally to do with fuel costs and at Christmas families worry about gifts for their children. We link them into charities that provide gifts. I can also give people fuel vouchers and link them into an energy adviser who help people with long term issues rather than just a quick fix."

Sharon also helps run a local bereavement group with the Prince and Princess of Wales Hospice.

Sharon explained: “This is particularly important just now because Christmas can be a big issue for people and last week we had a really good talk with everyone in the group on how to cope over the festive period as it can be especially difficult for those who have lost loved ones."

Sharon said that while her role is challenging, there’s reward in seeing the difference she and colleagues make to people’s lives.

She said: “The impact sometimes is immeasurable. There are people I’ve supported on a one-to-one basis who have now joined groups they would never have done without someone taking them there.  Recently I had a gentleman who was very isolated. He joined a local art group and about two months ago he had an exhibition. I don’t think he would have believed he would have ever done that. The groups build friendships that can last for life.”.

Sharon continued: “It’s all about relationship building. Someone might come to you initially with a housing issue, but then because you’ve built that relationship they might say, well actually I’ve got an issue with drinking or domestic violence - the list is endless."

CLWs have extensive knowledge of organisations in their local area offering advice and support, and identifying gaps in community resources and services and barriers to access these.

Appointments are flexible and last for as long as required with additional time for complex issues, and link workers tend to see people in their GP practice but can visit people in their own homes or in community spaces.

Sharon added: “Some of the feedback I’ve had from members of the walking group is that it has changed their life, and that they’ve made lifelong friends. If you’ve got poor wellbeing, just knowing there’s someone there you can talk to and that you’re not alone, it can totally change your life."