Social Prescribing offers a holistic approach to a person’s health and wellbeing, acknowledging other factors including social and economic can affect someone’s physical and mental health. Through social prescribing programmes, patients are referred to a Social Prescribing Link Worker (SPLW), who can work with an individual, using a non-clinical approach, to connect them in with community activities and services, which may help improve their overall health and wellbeing.

The SPLW can work with patients on a one-to-one basis to connect them in with wider community support, based on their needs, using a non-medical approach. Examples include volunteering, arts activities, group learning, gardening, befriending, cookery, healthy eating advice and a range of sports. Some of these examples can be found in the directory section on this website, however, we
also have access to many more groups and services.

People who may benefit from this service may include people who are struggling with social isolation, or with low level mental health issues that are not under any other service.

There are two types of support which the SPLW can offer currently – COVID 19 related and general wellbeing:

COVID19:
Support can include connecting people with practical support where there are issues surrounding accessing shopping or collecting prescriptions, or it may include supporting individuals who are struggling with social isolation, or their mental wellbeing as a result of COVID.
General Wellbeing:
The type of support may vary greatly from individual to individual, however, it is possible to connect individuals in with support surrounding low level mental wellbeing (particularly depression and anxiety), money advice (benefit related issues/debt support), housing, bereavement support, learning opportunities and other community based activities based on an individual’s hobbies and
interests, which may be of benefit to them. Whilst services currently running are limited, this type of support is still available. Individuals can be worked with over a longer term basis and we can explore support available now, as well as support which may be available further down the line as services are relaunched.

Once someone is referred, the SPLW will make contact within one – two weeks and discuss the needs with an individual. In many instances those being referred during COIVD19 crisis have required light touch, one off contact to support with practical needs, however where there are other issues going on, we can work with an individual for as long as required. After an initial conversation, individuals are connected in with other support/agencies/organisations and then the SPLW will make further​ contact with them to see how things are for them. If further support is required at this stage the SPLW can explore this.

If you are interested in Social Prescribing or would like to find out if it could benefit you, get in touch with your GP surgery, or complete the contact us box below for more information. To access Social Prescribing through Bordesley East PCN, you will need to be a patient at one of the PCN GP surgeries (these can be found in the ‘About Us’ section).