Social prescribing event in Shrewsbury is great success
Over 60 organisations and groups attended an event to find out more about social prescribing, supporting people’s health and well-being in Shrewsbury.
The social prescribing workshops hosted by Shropshire Council on Tuesday 19 June 2018 gave attendees the opportunity to find out more about Shropshire’s social prescribing programme, how it’s going to be rolled out in Shrewsbury and how they can get involved.
Social prescribing in Shrewsbury event. Left to right: Kate Garner, Steve Latham-White, Claire Sweeney, Katy Warren, Linda Monteith, Val Cross, Laurel Roberts and Jo Robins.
Shropshire’s social prescribing programme is being led by Shropshire Council and its Help2Change service. The programme involves working with a range of organisations such as GPs and community and voluntary organisations to provide non-medical support for people to help them take greater control over their own health.
The event was opened by Lee Chapman, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for adult services, health and social housing, who said he was very committed to the approach of social prescribing, seeing it as a key cornerstone for creating good health and well-being.
Lee Chapman commented about the event:-
“Our social prescribing event provided a great opportunity to raise awareness of the positive benefits social prescribing can bring to local communities.
“I was really pleased and encouraged to see so many organisations at our event. There was a lot of interest and enthusiasm from people around how we can work together to develop and deliver Shrewsbury’s social prescribing programme.”
Speakers at the workshops included local GP Dr Finola Lynch and Laurel Roberts from the Qube in Oswestry.
Both speakers spoke positively about the role of social prescribing, Dr Lynch talked about the benefits to patients, the invaluable contribution of the voluntary sector and how social prescribing could become part of the solution to reducing isolation and loneliness.
Laurel Roberts commented on how better links can be made between public services and the voluntary and community sector to ensure people receive a more holistic and joined up approach to support them with their health and well-being.
Organisations taking part in the workshops got to hear about real life stories from people who had gone through the social prescribing experience. One story spoke about a local man who suffered from sleep apnoea and weight issues. After his appointment with a social prescribing adviser, he began attending a local Walking for Heath group. This has led to him losing weight and making new friends; he’s also now looking at other activities in his community.
It is estimated that around 20% of patients consult their GP for what is primarily a social problem rather than a clinical problem.
Shropshire’s social prescribing programme will enable doctors to refer those patients to a social prescribing adviser who will work with the individual to access services and support in their own communities. This could be anything from taking part in group learning sessions, sports, arts activities, volunteering, gardening, befriending services to healthy eating advice.
Dr Finola Lynch, Shropshire GP and social prescribing champion for Shropshire Clinical Commissioning Group, said:-
“Socially isolated people use a third more GP appointments, and while it’s always a privilege to chat to them, the help and support they need is not necessarily found in a prescription or a pill, but in social prescribing.
“Finding an exercise activity or a social group that’s suited to you does wonders for your mental health and well-being, and we know it’s good for your physical health too. I wholly endorse social prescribing as a means of supporting patients and their communities, and I’m very proud about the fact that Shropshire is a national leader in this movement.”
Attendees were also encouraged to contribute to Shropshire’s social prescribing network by signing up to Shropshire’s community directory to promote their organisation. The directory provides information on a wealth of local services and activities.
Shrewsbury’s event is one of many that is being rolled out across the county. An event has already taken place in Albrighton, with another being planned for Bridgnorth this summer.
Social prescribing in Albrighton
For more information about the workshop or Shropshire’s social prescribing programme in Shrewsbury, contact Linda Monteith at linda.monteith@shropshire.gov.uk or call 07990 085443.
Further information
The overall aim of social prescribing is to prevent worsening health for people with long-term health conditions, reduce the number and intensity of costly interventions in urgent or specialist care, and offer an alternative to those people with non-medical conditions presenting at GP practices. Social prescribing schemes can involve a variety of activities.
Shropshire’s Healthy Lives Programme
Social prescribing forms part of Shropshire’s Healthy Lives programme, which supports individuals, families and communities to take more control over their health and reduce their risk of chronic disease. The scheme also links to the Resilient Communities work being undertaken by Shropshire Council with the support of NHS colleagues and voluntary sector organisations who are working together to design targeted interventions and activity in localities. The aim of this work is to connect up people and activities in our neighbourhoods so that they all know more about what is going on, and have the choice and opportunity to get involved in the things they are interested in, and which can make people happier and healthier.
