Social Prescribing
Social Prescribing links you into services to support your non-medical needs related to your health and wellbeing.
Services and support that we can link you into may include
Joining a local social group/activity – making friends, getting fit, being creative
Benefit/Debt support
Volunteering/training and employment
Bereavement counselling
Mindfulness
Befriending
Ken Kanu, Director at Help on Your Doorstep, says:
“We’ve known for a long time that improving health and wellbeing requires more than medical interventions. It is about taking a holistic approach so that people are supported with the day to day challenges in their lives such as money, housing, relationships and work or unemployment. Our new Social Prescribing Link Worker service is a fantastic partnership. It brings together health care professionals who can support people with their physical health, and our Link Workers who can help people address the social issues that are affecting their wellbeing so people can live healthier happier lives.”
Our Social Prescribing Service is currently working with the following GP Practices in Islington.
The Village Practice
St. John’s Way Medical Centre,
Northern Medical Centre
Partnership Primary Care Centre
New North Health Centre
St. Peter’s Street Medical Centre
River Place Group Practice
Elizabeth Avenue Group Practice
The Miller Practice
GPs at these Practices can refer you to our Social Prescribing Service if you meet the following criteria
One or more long term health conditions
Need support with their mental health
Are lonely or isolated
Have complex social needs which affect their wellbeing (e.g. exacerbating issues relating to debt, financial hardship, housing, risk of homelessness, welfare benefits – entitlements and DWP assessments)
Frequent attenders to A&E/GPs.
For more information about the service you can email our social prescribing team at socialprescribing.northc2@nhs.net
How does Social Prescribing work? A case study
Deborah regularly visited her GP due to feelings of depression, chronic pain and osteoarthritis. By accessing Help on Your Doorstep’s service she was able to identify goals which she felt would help improve her wellbeing and build meaningful connections in her local community.
Deborah was passionate about poetry. Being creative was very therapeutic to her and she had previously shared her writing at spoken word events in Islington, but was unable to create new poems as she experienced pain when writing or typing due to arthritis and carpel tunnel syndrome.
Deborah was supported by her Link Worker to access funding through Cloudesley for voice recognition software which enabled her to use her laptop. This allowed Deborah to continue to be creative and she was also referred to The Claremont Project’s Creative Writing group which she attends once a week.
Deborah now feels stronger connections to her community which has helped to alleviate symptoms of depression. She also reports fewer visits to her GP and with support from her fellow attendees at Claremont she has regained her confidence and is sharing her poetry again.
