Social Prescriber

Home Roles ARRS Social Prescribers

Benefits of Social Prescriber role

In the UK, one in five GP appointments is related to wider social needs rather than medical issues. Social prescribers work together with GP practices to ensure that the wider needs of patients are addressed, Social Prescribing can be the bridge between a GP and all the non-healthcare services available in the community.

Social Prescribing seeks to address people’s needs across a number of areas such as physical activity, diet and nutrition, mental health, and social support. It is often referred to as a ‘more than medicine’ approach to health and wellbeing, since the majority of long- term conditions can be prevented by lifestyle change alone.

Role Duties

Each patient’s needs will differ, social prescribing can meet many different types of non-clinical needs, ranging from support and advice for individuals experiencing:

  • Debt
  • Unemployment
  • Housing or mobility issues
  • One or more long-term conditions
  • Who need support with their mental health
  • Who are lonely or isolated
  • Who have complex social needs which affect their wellbeing

Social Prescribing works effectively within the community, helping provide support to community groups or by hosting coffee mornings, green space schemes, emotional support groups, they can also carry out home visits for patients who struggle to come to the surgery.

Please note: Social Prescribers cannot: prescribe medicine, help with complex mental health issues, or diagnose health issues.

Qualification requirements

There are no formal qualification requirements, but it’s important that a social prescriber has good communication skills, and it would be helpful for the individual to have experience of offering advice, support or volunteering in the community, whilst having knowledge of local social care and health services, community and volunteering groups.

It is recommended that Social Prescribers have access to clinical supervision once a month. This will help the Social Prescriber discuss different patients who may be complex or vulnerable whilst receiving advice from somebody who is medically trained.