Understanding the effectiveness and mechanisms of a social prescribing service: a mixed method analysis

James Woodall,Lucy Hancock,Joanne Trigwell,Ann-Marie Bunyan,Mary Cunningham,Joanne Davis,Sue Wilkinson,Victoria Eaton,Gary Raine

doi:10.1186/s12913-018-3437-7

Abstract

BackgroundEvidence of the effectiveness of social prescribing is inconclusive causing commissioning challenges. This research focusses on a social prescribing scheme in Northern England which deploys ‘Wellbeing Coordinators’ who offer support to individuals, providing advice on local groups and services in their community. The research sought to understand the outcomes of the service and, in addition, the processes which supported delivery.MethodsQuantitative data was gathered from service users at the point they entered the service and also at the point they exited. Qualitative interviews were also undertaken with service users to gather further understanding of the service and any positive or negative outcomes achieved. In addition, a focus group discussion was also conducted with members of social prescribing staff to ascertain their perspectives of the service both from an operational and strategic perspective.ResultsIn total, 342 participants provided complete wellbeing data at baseline and post stage and 26 semi-structured qualitative interviews were carried out. Improvements in participants’ well-being, and perceived levels of health and social connectedness as well as reductions in anxiety was demonstrated. In many cases, the social prescribing service had enabled individuals to have a more positive and optimistic view of their life often through offering opportunities to engage in a range of hobbies and activities in the local community. The data on reductions in future access to primary care was inconclusive. Some evidence was found to show that men may have greater benefit from social prescribing than women. Some of the processes which increased the likelihood of success on the social prescribing scheme included the sustained and flexible relationship between the service user and the Wellbeing Coordinator and a strong and vibrant voluntary and community sector.ConclusionsSocial prescribing has the potential to address the health and social needs of individuals and communities. This research has shown a range of positive outcomes as a result of service users engaging with the service. Social prescribing should be conceptualised as one way to support primary care and tackle unmet needs.

Highlights

Evidence of the effectiveness of social prescribing is inconclusive causing commissioning challenges
Social prescribing has grown exponentially as a consequence of the growing voluntary and community sector’s role in health and intense pressure on primary care services to manage patients presenting conditions that can be addressed without medical intervention [2]
Social prescribing is often delivered using link workers or social prescribers who are trained to act as the lynchpin between primary care services and organisations in the voluntary and community sector [2, 4]

Summary

Introduction

Evidence of the effectiveness of social prescribing is inconclusive causing commissioning challenges. This research focusses on a social prescribing scheme in Northern England which deploys ‘Wellbeing Coordinators’ who offer support to individuals, providing advice on local groups and services in their community. Social prescribing has grown exponentially as a consequence of the growing voluntary and community sector’s role in health and intense pressure on primary care services to manage patients presenting conditions that can be addressed without medical intervention [2]. Such schemes provide General Practitioners (GPs) with a non-medical referral option that can be delivered alongside existing primary care services to improve individuals’ health and well-being [3]. The link workers’ ability to understand a social and holistic view of health is critical to the success of the schemes and their interpersonal qualities are essential in the execution of social prescribing schemes and patients’ satisfaction of the service – a finding reiterated throughout the literature for over a decade [2, 5, 6]

Methods

Results

Conclusion