MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit

The Links Worker Programme is a Scottish Government intervention based in primary care in some of the most socioeconomically deprived areas in Glasgow. Link Workers are employed to work in GP practices, taking referrals from GPs and other primary care professionals, to support patients to access community organisations. The aim is to improve health and wellbeing and to mitigate the negative impacts of the social determinants of health. A further role of the Link Worker is to encourage organisational change by supporting their practices to strengthen links with community organisations.

The Links Worker Programme has been independently evaluated by the University of Glasgow. Kathryn Skivington led part of the evaluation which explored the perspective of community organisation representatives involved in the Links Worker Programme (Community Links).