Social Prescribing and it’s role in health and wellbeing Dr Marie Polley Co-Chair, Social Prescribing Network Senior Lecturer in Health Sciences and Research University of Westminster

Enabling healthcare professionals to refer patients to a link worker, to co-design a non-clinical social prescription to improve their health and wellbeing Listening Valuing Relationship Communication Agreed action Support Flexibility

What is the model for social prescribing? REFERRAL BY A HEALTHCARE PRACTITIONER TIME WITH A NON-CLNICAL LINK WORKER ATTENDANCE IN LOCAL COMMUNITY / VOLUNTARY ORGANISATION

What is the model for social prescribing? TIME WITH A NON-CLNICAL LINK WORKER REFERRAL BY A HEALTHCARE PRACTITIONER ATTENDANCE IN LOCAL COMMUNITY / VOLUNTARY ORGANISATION

What is the model for social prescribing? Allied HCP REFERRAL Primary Care What already exists? What is needed? Who can fund this? What relationships can we build on? TIME WITH A NON-CLNICAL LINK WORKER Secondary Care Support Tertiary Care ATTENDANCE IN LOCAL COMMUNITY / VOLUNTARY ORGANISATION Improved Health and Wellbeing

Outcomes of social prescribing Main Outcome Category Changes in physical health Changes in mental health and wellbeing Changes in social functioning Changes in health service use Changes in behaviour linked to lifestyle Changes in emotional and cognitive skills Wider determinants of health

Role of the Social Prescribing Network Connect people interested in social prescribing – regionally and nationally Share resources and best practice – reports and research, mailing list Create a directory of social prescribing schemes Have a content rich website Analyse and appraise data - raise the quality, identify evidence gaps, Provide support and guidance - toolkit Listen to those on the frontline, lobby senior leaders Collaborate in research projects to push the field forwards. To keep this network free and accessible to all Socialprescribing@outlook.org JOIN MAILING LIST PLEASE

The role of museums?

More than heritage museum directory for the NW "This has helped increase my confidence and my mental health has been more stable since the course. I no longer panic when people talk to me...I'm more confident to travel alone. My parents think it's the best thing that has happened in my life ... it's helped me get a place at university.”