Introducing our Social Prescribing service
Many things affect your health and wellbeing. A lot of people visit their GP because they are feeling lonely, isolated or stressed about a personal or family issue, work, money or housing problems. Sometimes it’s the stress of managing long term health conditions. These are social, practical and emotional matters that can’t be helped by doctors or medicine alone.
As part of a nationwide NHS plan to give more personalised holistic care to patients, we are now able to offer a new extension to our service called Social Prescribing.
Our team of Social Prescribers can help you with your non-medical needs, enable you to have more control over your health and find ways to improve how you feel in a way that suits you. The issues they can help you with include:
- Health and wellbeing
- Mental health – low self-esteem/confidence, anxiety, depression, stress
- Loneliness and isolation
- Bereavement
- Employment, employability support, volunteering
- Alcohol or substance misuse
- Benefits, finance and housing
- Gambling
- Covid-19 related support
This service is about what matters to you and it all starts with a conversation which will be less time restricted than a GP appointment. Whether you have a short term problem or a longer term issue that you’d like to resolve, our Social Prescribers are here to listen, support you with your needs, help to motivate you and put you in touch with whatever you may need to feel better. This could be:
Dependent on your needs agreeing what support package is right for you, one conversation or a number of appointments over a fixed period of time
Providing information and guidance on services that can help you
Referring you to those services if you don’t feel able to do so without support
Introducing you to community groups, activities or options for volunteering
Assisting you to set goals that will empower you to make lifestyle changes and achieve the outcome you’re looking for.
How can I access the Social Prescribing Service?
You must be over the age of 18
Your GP may refer you to have a consultation with one of our Social Prescribers if they feel you’d benefit from the support they are able to offer
Or you can self-refer by calling the surgery or booking an appointment online in the same way you usually would to see your GP or Nurse
Due to Covid-19 restrictions we are currently offering all appointments as telephone or video calls
In future we will be able to offer face to face appointments in the practice if required