If you are registered with a GP in Frodsham, Helsby or Elton, you can now access help and guidance from a team of additional support link workers, who are there to enhance and strengthen care provision in our communities.

In this article, we introduce you to Anna Andersson, your local Employment Support Link Worker.

Anna will be working with people aged 18-65 who have lost their job within the last 12 months, and who would benefit from additional support in returning to employment.

This might include those on furlough as a direct result of the pandemic, those who have been unable to work due to illness, or those who have been made redundant because of the Covid-19 crisis.

Anna explains that the employment support pilot scheme is there to provide these people with "emotional and practical" support in returning to the world of work.

"This is important as long-term unemployment can often have a considerable negative impact on a person's overall wellbeing, leading to feelings of isolation and loss of purpose."

That's before we consider the financial uncertainty that comes with unemployment, which can, of course, erode a person's self confidence while also affecting their physical and mental health.

"The Employment Support Link Worker can provide practical support in the form of job searches, CV and cover letter reviews and guidance, interview skills, and identifying any possible barriers on the road to employment," Anna says.

"Creating a vocational profile to help understand a person's skills and strengths," is also a good way of kick-starting a new career move.

Finally, "The Employment Support Link Worker can offer information and advice on employment rights, in-work and job seeker benefits, as well as signposting to other agencies for more specialised support.

"By providing this service to those struggling with unemployment-related issues, we feel we can empower those accessing the service to achieve positive outcomes to their employment issues and as a result improve their overall health and wellbeing."

There will soon be a feature on the Primary Care Cheshire website which will enable online referrals, but until then, eligible residents can access Anna's employment support service by contacting their GP surgery directly.

The link worker team will also accept referrals from GP surgery staff, social workers, any other healthcare professional, the community and voluntary sector and housing associations.