Community-Enhanced Social Prescribing: Integrating Community in Policy and Practice

Abstract

The NHS Plan is introducing social prescribing link workers into GP surgeries in England. The link workers connect people to non-health resources in the community and voluntary sector, with the aim of meeting individual needs beyond the capacity of the NHS. Social prescribing models focus on enhancing individual wellbeing, guided by the policy of universal personalised care. However, they largely neglect the capacity of communities to meet individual need, particularly in the wake of a decade of austerity. We propose a model of community enhanced social prescribing (CESP) which has the potential to improve both individual and community wellbeing. CESP combines two evidence-informed models – Connected Communities and Connecting People – to address both community capacity and individual need. CESP requires a literacy of community which recognises the importance of communities to individuals and the importance of engaging with, and investing in, communities. When fully implemented the theory of change for CESP is hypothesised to improve both individual and community wellbeing.

The Melbourne Statement on Practice Research in Social Work: Practice Meets Research

“…A subsequent implementation study identified particular difficulties in implementing the model in community mental health teams (Webber et al, 2021). However, it has also been integrated into a new model of community-enhanced social prescribing which is currently being implemented in a primary care setting (Morris et al, 2022). More work is required to integrate insights from implementation science into practice research, but this work highlights how it can support social work interventions and help to improve outcomes for mental health service users.…”

Social prescribing link workers—A qualitative Australian perspective

“…Community programs are otherwise based in neighbourhood or community centres, with external GPs, allied health, or community workers able to identify socially isolated persons and refer them to the social prescribing scheme. These community‐based schemes, while focused on improving individual well‐being, also work towards building and enhancing the capacity of local communities (Morris et al, 2022 ). Although there are currently few such social prescribing programs in Australia the potential for growth is evident (CSSC, 2021 ), with strong interest from consumers, GPs and allied health professionals (RACGP & CHF, 2019 ).…”

Coproduction and partnership with people and communities

“…To fully capitalise on the knowledge, skills and gifts of people themselves in improving population health and outcomes it is necessary to take a strategic and systemic approach to coproduction with local communities. For leaders, this means incorporating four important elements into commissioning and delivery of services: including people with lived experience on decision-making groups; ensuring those who work in health have a 'literacy of community' 12 ; the intentional building of social capital within communities as a method of achieving improved health; and a mindset shift in what we mean by 'services', so that people themselves are involved in scoping, design and delivery of healthcare and health improvement initiatives-true coproduction.…”