Social Prescribing in Islington is a wellbeing service that we deliver in partnership with the NHS. GP Practices in the North and Central areas of Islington can refer you to this service. 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
• Goodinge Group Practice
• 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 [email protected] 

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.