What is Social Prescribing?

Social prescribing is a growing movement that connects people with a range of non-clinical programmes, services and events in their local community – like walking groups, mental health counselling, debt management advice, employability skills, volunteering, family fitness, healthy cooking programmes, mindfulness sessions, and the ‘green prescription’ of gardening and food growing.

As well as offering practical and emotional support, social prescribers have the time to work with patients to find out what matters to them; this may be to help connect them to a specific service or a community group, where they can make friends, learn new skills and gain support or advice.

GPs and Nurses have many people visiting them with non-medical issues, such as feeling lonely, isolated, or stressed by work, or perhaps they have a debt problem or a welfare issue – all of which can affect a person’s health and wellbeing.

The idea behind social prescribing is to help patients have more control over their own health and find ways to improve their wellbeing in a way that works for each patient.

Social Prescribing Link Worker - Louise

The NHS are recognising that patients with social prescriptions get better and feel better faster than those treated with medicine alone, which is why they are funding  1000 Social Prescribing Link Workers across Primary Care.

Our Practice’s Social Prescribing Link Worker is there to listen to you and put you in touch with the people and activities that might help, especially if you live alone, have no support and need help with food shopping or collecting prescriptions.

In addition to working with patients in practices across the East Chester PCN, Louise has also spent time locating the services and activities that are available in the local community, not only so she can connect patients to them, but to also identify the gaps in each area so she can work with the community to help “bridge this gap” and create desired, sustainable groups and activities.

If you feel like you would benefit from this service, please don’t hesitate to contact the practice on 01244 382238