Competency framework
Four domains, ~30 competencies — used to recruit, supervise and plan CPD for social prescribing link workers. The framework underpins the WHIS & GSPA workforce development programme worldwide.
Rate yourself 1–4 against every competency, get a CPD plan with recommended courses, and print it for your supervision meeting. No account needed.
Domain 1
A key element of successful social prescribing is the relationship built between and the individuals they support — built through meaningful conversations centred on 'what matters to you?'.
Adapt questioning style to the individual. Use open questions to let people direct the conversation; closed questions to clarify key information.
Routes to achieve
Assessment
Observed practice and feedback from supervisors, colleagues and individuals.
Use body language and non-verbal cues. Be psychologically present. Reflect back using the same words to build rapport.
Routes to achieve
Assessment
Observed practice and feedback from supervisors, colleagues and individuals.
Check shared understanding. Use internal and final summaries to identify gaps and plan next steps.
Routes to achieve
Assessment
Observed practice and feedback from supervisors, colleagues and individuals.
Use models such as (Benefits, Risks, Alternatives, doing Nothing). Translate jargon into plain language.
Routes to achieve
Assessment
Observed practice and feedback from supervisors, colleagues and individuals.
Use affirmative statements. Recognise emotions. Look at situations from the person's perspective without judgement.
Routes to achieve
Assessment
Observed practice and feedback from supervisors, colleagues and individuals.
Establish rapport and trust to enable conversations on mental health, abuse and other sensitive topics.
Routes to achieve
Assessment
Observed practice and feedback from supervisors, colleagues and individuals.
Adapt communication for people with learning disabilities, sensory disability, additional language needs. Use interpreters. Translate written information. Respect identified preferences.
Routes to achieve
Assessment
Observed practice and feedback from supervisors, colleagues and individuals.
Adapt the physical setting to provide a safe, welcoming space. Offer home, community or virtual settings as appropriate.
Routes to achieve
Assessment
Observed practice and feedback from supervisors, colleagues and individuals.
Including remote and digital — and adapt for digital exclusion, sensory disability, learning disability, additional language needs.
Routes to achieve
Assessment
Observed practice and feedback from supervisors, colleagues and individuals.
Domain 2
Use the relationship to enable people to connect with their community for health and wellbeing — through co-producing a personalised care and support plan, setting goals, and exploring options.
Lead a holistic first conversation. Co-produce achievable outcomes. Record so the person tells their story once.
Routes to achieve
Assessment
Observed practice and feedback from supervisors, colleagues and individuals.
Patient activation is the knowledge, skills and confidence to manage one's own health. Assess and adapt as it fluctuates.
Routes to achieve
Assessment
Observed practice and feedback from supervisors, colleagues and individuals.
Help people use health information to be active partners. Plan a route to increasing health literacy alongside their goals.
Routes to achieve
Assessment
Observed practice and feedback from supervisors, colleagues and individuals.
Apply the model and the transtheoretical model. Use motivational interviewing. Make every contact count.
Routes to achieve
Assessment
Observed practice and feedback from supervisors, colleagues and individuals.
Adapt to cultural difference. Reflect on own attitudes and behaviour towards difference and diversity.
Routes to achieve
Assessment
Observed practice and feedback from supervisors, colleagues and individuals.
Adapt the plan flexibly as circumstances change.
Routes to achieve
Assessment
Observed practice and feedback from supervisors, colleagues and individuals.
Domain 3
Effective social prescribing relies on a range of community activities and support. The competencies in this domain support identifying, nurturing and developing community resources.
Apply co-production principles. Promote opportunities for people with lived experience to develop into formal involvement and leadership roles.
Routes to achieve
Assessment
Observed practice and feedback from supervisors, colleagues and individuals.
Apply Asset-Based Community Development (). Map services, strengths and pathways. Collaborate with community partners.
Routes to achieve
Assessment
Observed practice and feedback from supervisors, colleagues and individuals.
Identify gaps, escalate to relevant decision-makers, facilitate co-design without duplicating existing provision.
Routes to achieve
Assessment
Observed practice and feedback from supervisors, colleagues and individuals.
Assess quality and accessibility of offers. Plan for practical barriers (transport, comms).
Routes to achieve
Assessment
Observed practice and feedback from supervisors, colleagues and individuals.
Make recommendations to both individual and group/service to enable access.
Routes to achieve
Assessment
Observed practice and feedback from supervisors, colleagues and individuals.
Provide information for grant applications. Where appropriate support individuals to apply for grants on their own behalf.
Routes to achieve
Assessment
Observed practice and feedback from supervisors, colleagues and individuals.
Know how personal budgets, direct payments or equivalent local funding mechanisms may support delivery of a personalised support plan; support people to access them where appropriate.
Routes to achieve
Assessment
Observed practice and feedback from supervisors, colleagues and individuals.
Domain 4
work with individuals who may have complex health or care needs. They must practice safely, offer evidence-based interventions, and record outcomes.
Understand the boundaries of the role and when to escalate. Understand the roles of colleagues.
Routes to achieve
Assessment
Observed practice and feedback from supervisors, colleagues and individuals.
Including safeguarding, confidentiality, information governance, lone working, , health and safety, domestic abuse awareness, capacity-to-consent awareness, emotional resilience, social welfare awareness, cultural competence.
Routes to achieve
Assessment
Completion of mandatory training and observed application.
Identify those at risk. Follow processes including escalation to a named supervisor.
Routes to achieve
Assessment
Observed practice and feedback from supervisors, colleagues and individuals.
Apply secure data handling. Apply competence-based consent when working with minors. Apply your local jurisdiction's capacity-to-consent framework with adults.
Routes to achieve
Assessment
Observed practice and feedback from supervisors, colleagues and individuals.
Records protect both you and the people you work with. People should tell their story once.
Routes to achieve
Assessment
Observed practice and feedback from supervisors, colleagues and individuals.
Apply the biopsychosocial model. Target inequalities — long-term conditions, mental health, isolation, complex social needs, carers, .
Routes to achieve
Assessment
Observed practice and feedback from supervisors, colleagues and individuals.
Arts, sports, nature-based activities; practical support for housing, debt, relationships.
Routes to achieve
Assessment
Observed practice and feedback from supervisors, colleagues and individuals.
Use validated wellbeing measures (e.g. ) and case studies. Use satisfaction and qualitative measures alongside quantitative ones.
Routes to achieve
Assessment
Observed practice and feedback from supervisors, colleagues and individuals.
Walk through every competency, rate yourself 1–4, add a one-line note where useful. You'll get a domain-by-domain score chart, your top 5 development priorities, and the courses most likely to help.
