How We Work

Many things affect your health and wellbeing. GPs tell us that a lot of people visit them feeling isolated or lonely, or they might be stressed out by work, money and housing problems. Sometimes it’s the stress of managing different long-term conditions. People don’t always need a doctor, but they DO need support in other ways.  That’s where social prescribing comes in.

It starts with a conversation. It might be the conversation you’ve just had with your doctor. Or with another person in the practice team.  They will refer you to our social prescriber.

But, it doesn’t have to start in the GP practice, you may know someone who could benefit from some support and could share or details or you may want to self-refer. 

The Social prescriber is there to listen to you, and put you in touch with the people and activities that might help you to feel better. 

It might be an introduction to a community group, a new activity or a local club. Or help you find legal advice or debt counselling. It might just help you find information and guidance: a bit of inside knowledge on your situation or what local resources there are. 

The Social Prescriber could even support you to create something new, such as a peer support group or an interest group that doesn’t currently exist.

Social prescribing can help you to have more control over your own health and find ways to improve how you feel in a way that suits you. Studies show that people get better and feel better faster than those treated with medicine alone. And because it works, it’s happening more and more – all across the count