A Community Link Worker is a member of your GP Surgery Team and provides advice and support on many social issues that may be affecting your health and wellbeing. They have a wide range of knowledge on local services and community-based groups and activities.
What do they do?
A Community Link Worker can help you find the right support with any social issues that are affecting your health and wellbeing, for example: social isolation, money worries, education, benefits and welfare, unemployment, bereavement.
They can spend time with you looking at what changes you would like to make, the steps that you need to take and services that can help you reach your goal.
A Community Link Worker has lots of knowledge of what is available in your local community and services that are offered borough wide, so whether you want to start attending a local group, just need information on what’s available or would like to make bigger changes, a Community Link Worker could help.
Where do they work?
Community Link Workers work primarily from GP practices across the Wigan borough, they offer face to face appointments in the surgery. Telephone and Microsoft Teams appointments are also available, please make your preference known when contacting the CLW administration team.
You may often see a Community Link Worker out in the community, they spend a lot of time engaging with the community and keeping their knowledge base up to date so they can provide accurate and experienced information during appointments.
Contact Community Link Workers for further information.
Chris' story
Chris was referred to the Community Link Worker Service for support with re-housing due to poor living conditions including no central heating and was also socially isolated.
Following the death of his mother, Chris receives on-going support from his cousin Geoff.
What happened
Chris wanted to move into sheltered accommodation as he could not afford the cost of repairs to make his home safe and habitable. The Community Link Worker referred Chris to Home finders at Wigan and Leigh Housing, and arranged a home visit to complete a new housing application.
The Community Link Worker liaised with Home Finders and also arranged regular appointments with Chris and his cousin to up-date and follow-up any actions.
Chris moved-in to his new property 5-months later, and is now happy, safe and warm. Chris also attends weekly activities in the community room with other residents and is happy to make new friends.