For the past 5 years, GPs have been able to connect patients experiencing loneliness or complex morbidities to social prescribing link workers, but does it work?
by NHS England in its 2019 long-term plan. The idea was to give GPs the ability to refer people without a medical need to a “social prescribing link worker” who would be better placed to help them. It would also reduce pressure on GPs.are for social issues like loneliness and isolation or from people with other multiple long-term conditions or complex needs.
It appears that social prescribing could have a bigger role to play moving forward. The Commons Health and Social Care Committeea report that recommends the creation of a national social prescribing strategy. She added: “It can also lead to reduced health service usage within both primary and secondary care. For example, an evaluation of a social prescribing service in Shropshire showed a 40% reduction in GP appointments for people who had accessed social prescribing after 3 months."
Does it save money? Osborn-Forde says it does: "There are lots of different ways you can measure this, but a range of studies show that social prescribing can take pressure off the health system. If you look at social return on investment, which takes into account wider social and economic benefits, studies show that social prescribing can deliver between £2.14 and £8.56 for every £1 invested.