Social Prescribing

Neriah Clarke

What is social prescribing?
Social prescribing (SP) is a growing movement and aims to ensure that those who visit the GP with social issues receive appropriate support. Recent estimates show that up to a ⅓ of GP time is spent on managing social problems [1]. Although GPs may be able to help resolve such problems, a large portion of their already limited time is being expended. To add, due to the complexity of some social problems an appointment may not be adequate. Hence, the NHS long-term plan states that by 2023/24 [3], personalised care which includes SP should be mandatory and in effect.

How would this work in practice?
SP professionals mainly work in primary care and assume a role similar to that of occupational therapists but place greater emphasis on social referral. The key aim of social prescribing is to empower people. Some GP practices are already involved and are using the national model, Fig.1 with an example of its use in Fig.2

- Aside from money worries, housing problems, work-related stress and loneliness are common problems people consult with.
- A link-worker not only facilitates the triage of a person to appropriate support but may also be the support in providing empathy and a listening ear.

Benefits
It is important to realise that social problems can affect health and do affect wellness. The move towards personalised care is only possible if people are viewed in a holistic manner. SP helps provide personalised care, reduces strain on health-care professionals, and has the potential to benefit wider society.

Obstacles
It is known that there have been cuts to social services but in their absence, it is still possible to empower people and maybe those people could start their own support group or business, the list is endless!

References:
[1] National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux, 2015. A Very Generalpracticehow Much Time Do Gps Spend On Issuesother Than Health?. [online] Available at: <https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/Global/CitizensAdvice/Public%20services%20publications/CitizensAdvice_AVeryGeneralPractice_May2015.pdf> [Accessed 20 April 2020].
[2] General : England, N., 2020. NHS England » Social Prescribing. [online] England.nhs.uk. Available at: <https://www.england.nhs.uk/personalisedcare/social-prescribing/> [Accessed 20 April 2020].
[3] NHS UK, 2019. NHS Long Term Plan. p.25.

Comments

  1. anonymousUser27 May 2020 at 23:19

    Very insightful, thank you for this. I think that this would no doubt help with better care and attention being given to patients who consult the doctors problems described above. The approach of limiting or discouraging patients from seeking help at moments of vulnerability does not help. Rather the solution of social prescribing which involves triaging is more specialised and cost effective! :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Universal Medicine Team28 May 2020 at 15:31

      Thank you for writing to us and presenting such an insightful comment. Indeed, effective modern consultation requires a biopsychosoical approach to care. Thank you, and we hope you continue to follow our posts

      Delete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

PTSD - A Psychodynamic Explanation

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a type of anxiety disorder which you may develop after being involved in, or witnessing, traumatic events. The condition was first recognised in war veterans and has been known by a variety of names, such as 'shell shock'. PTSD can develop immediately after someone experiences a disturbing event, or it can occur weeks, months or even years later. Its estimated to affect about 1 in every 3 people who have a traumatic experience, but it's not clear exactly why some people develop the condition and others do not. There are many theories that could be used to explain this condition. Psychodynamic approaches to PTSD focus on a number of different factors that may influence or cause PTSD symptoms, such as early childhood experiences, current relationships and the things people do to protect themselves from upsetting thoughts and feelings that are the result of experiencing a traumatic event. The psychodynamic approach focuses mainly...
Read more

Disparities in Global Eye Care

Vision is one of our most precious possessions. Multiple polls globally show that most people are more fearful of becoming blind than losing any other sense. (1,2) With sight being such a valuable asset, one would assume that eyecare is at the forefront of medical services across the world. Living in the developed world, we perhaps take for granted the simple and yet crucial services available to us such as regular eye tests, glasses, contact lenses and high-quality ophthalmic care - most of which can be accessed for free or at a subsidised price. However, in many parts of the world this is not the case. 285 million people worldwide are visually impaired, with 90% being from developing countries. (3) In China, for example, levels of blindness are increasing each year, however critically, rates of blindness have been reported at up to 4 times higher in the developing world as compared to more economically developed countries (4, 5). This is particularly worrying given that around 80% of...
Read more

Do Contact Lenses Really “Support Your Vision”?

Image
Contact lenses have been frequently used as an alternative to glasses. Compared to the heavy-framed glasses in front of one’s eyes (optic glasses), thin plastic discs on the eye (contact lenses) help correct refractive errors in both myopic and hypermetropic users. The lens’ shape and power can be tailored to the user’s sight. A concave lens can be used to decrease myopia by reducing light refraction and increasing focal length so that the image is formed on the retina (1)  (Figure 1). Alternatively, a convex lens can be used to limit hypermetropia in an opposing mechanism to concave lenses (1) (Figure 1). Figure 1, An illustration of myopia and hyperopia and how adding lens of different shapes in front of the eye can be used to alter the refraction of light and correct each impairment in vision (10) Besides supporting sight, which both types of lenses can do, contact lenses confer some advantages that make them preferable to glasses. Unlike glasses, contact lenses are less li...
Read more