Social Prescribing (SP) connects people to activities, groups, and services in their community to meet the practical, social and emotional needs that affect their health and wellbeing.
Social prescribing link workers (SPLW’s) give people time, focusing on ‘what matters to me?’ to coproduce a simple personalised care and support plan, and support people to take control of their own health and wellbeing.
Patients will be invited to an initial appointment in practice to holistically explore their goals, and support needs. They will be provided with information and onward referrals as appropriate, at the time. If SP and patient agree that ongoing support is needed, they will then be offered up to a maximum of 5 further appointments (goal and needs dependant), including exit plan. The focus, location and frequency of these follow up appointments will be agreed as part of a personalised care plan, they may be held at a community venue or be 'walk and talk' sessions, for example. SP work must remain goal focussed, and sessions are directly supporting the patients agreed goal plan.
Alongside direct referral work, SPLW's also work proactively to tackle health inequalities at community level, support existing groups to be accessible and sustainable, and help people to start new groups, working collaboratively with all local partners.
If the patients goal is weight related, please refer to 'Social Prescribing for Weight Management' on Joy, instead.
Inclusion criteria:
- Aged 18+
- has capacity to engage with the service
- has given full and direct consent to referral
- has had Social Prescribing needs identified by GP/PCN staff, where suitable support is not already in place
- wishing to make change and collaborate with service to create goals and support plan
Exclusion criteria:
- Under age 18
- has not consented to referral (due to capacity or other)
- referral has been requested by third party/external professional without patient present
- emergency, urgent or crisis needs (including mental health, emergency food, safety, acute care crisis)
- intoxication or unable to engage with Social Prescribers
- poses risk to Social Prescribers or unable to keep themselves safe
- acute/active safeguarding concern re the patient or a dependant
- acute/uncontrolled SMI presentation (e.g. psychosis)
- mental health referral if open to IAPT or Secondary Care for same need
If the referral is submitted not inline with the above it will be declined. Please review 'core needs' information sheet for guidance on more suitable services.