The Community Link Worker programme has continued to provide vital support to thousands of individuals across Scotland.

Since 2013, the Community Link Worker (CLW) programme has developed into an essential lifeline for thousands of people across Scotland to access services that improve their health and well-being. 

This year, the Links Worker Programme continued to shine a light for participants and their needs across Glasgow and West Dunbartonshire, engaging with 10,000 people and aiding almost 70 GP practice teams.

“CLWs are the most vital service that has been provided to general practice in recent years and we are both reliant and indebted to the staff that have been provided to us in that time. It is such an invaluable service to a deep end practice such as ours and we would rather lose other services over this.”

GP

The success of the CLW Programme has resulted in partnership work with the Trussell Trust to run a pilot within foodbanks across 2 areas of Glasgow, and our ongoing partnership with SGN continues to support the programme by providing food and fuel vouchers to vulnerable individuals and families, while encouraging those who are eligible to register with their Priority Service. 

The programme has received international recognition with a delegation from International Longevity Centre Japan visiting as part of their comparative study on the role of link workers in social prescribing in the UK and other countries to understand the Link Workers roles, including how they are funded, trained and how they collaborate with other GPs, charities, governments, and other stakeholders. 

Closer to home, we continue to work with the University of Glasgow and Kelvin College whose students shadow our CLWs to better understand the benefits of the Links approach and how it works in practice, thus educating the next generation of practitioners.

We look forward to continuing and expanding on these partnerships in 2024 and to ensuring that this valuable service is sustained and promoted.  As one beneficiary stated “I never knew there was a service like this – it’s brilliant, should be better advertised and everyone should have a community links worker”.

Nr of referrals10,514Overall conversion rate88.5%
Nr of appointments36,642Median waiting time for appointment2 days
Nr of unique clients seen9,804overall positive experience98.7%
Data from 1 October 2022 to 30 September 2023, inclusive, covering Glasgow City and West Dunbartonshire CLPs.

Referral Reason  %age
Mental health and wellbeing34%
Poverty/income related issues28%
Housing issues18%
Top referral reasons.

We are always keen to develop links with local resources and organisations. If you have any questions or would like to know more about the Programme, please get in touch by emailing clw@alliance-scotland.org.uk.

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