Social Prescribing Hour: NHS Long Term Plan
The role of social prescribing in the NHS Long Term Plan
Social Prescribing Roundup
Following the launch of the government’s long-term plan for the NHS on Monday, this week’s Social Prescribing Hour discussed what the plan means for social prescribing, highlighted key points within the plan and identified examples of where progress is already being made.
Throughout the hour, there was plenty of discussion surrounding the role which social prescribing will play in the NHS long term plan, with contributors highlighting the need to ensure that social prescribing can support the NHS personalised care model and build on existing schemes. There was much agreement that there was no need to reinvent the wheel, with several people identifying great examples of social prescribing programmes and services which are already successful and making an impact on the health and wellbeing of communities.
Led by Martin Bell, an independent consultant specialising in strategic and practical support for health and social care organisations, the conversation asked if it mattered that social prescribing became NHS dominated.
Agree. This is an opportunity to learn from the best to improve all the rest, up and down the country. We have to support our community based assets sustainably, manage data and demand intelligently, and build SP into the integrated care models.
— Marie Anne Essam (@marieannedoc) January 9, 2019
This is my greatest worry. The narrative is very primary care centric - #socialprescribing is about so much more. Also little clarity about how the voluntary sector will be supported. We mustn't try and medicalise social prescribing. #SocialPresHour
— Chris Easton (@Chris_Easton1) January 9, 2019
Although there were some concerns that social prescribing may get hijacked into other agendas, many were in agreement that there is the need for social prescribing to be supported by the NHS and that collaborative working is key in order to make social prescribing mainstream.
>I think that by the nhs recognising the benefits of #socialprescribing and supporting it can only be a good thing. This support will enable #socialprescribing to become engrained in a more holistic health care system whilst fundamentally remaining where it belongs..communities
— Denise Elemental (@Dee_Elemental) January 9, 2019
Important question . So important not to medicalise/ nhs dominate social prescribing #dontmedicalisesocialise. What’s worked in current schemes is the true collaborative working amongst VS, council and primary care . I think a shift into community connector #froome is sustainable
— Mohan sekeram (@SekeramMohan) January 9, 2019
SP should never become dominated by the NHS just heavily supported. The NHS are good at dealing with health issues and emergencies let the Multi Disciplinary Teams that exist continue to grow and take the pressure of the NHS with the NHS supporting behind the scene
— Jack Packman (@JackPackman) January 9, 2019
According to the Long Term Plan, everything will be digitised by 2024. The Social Prescribing Hour asked contributors how do we ensure that social prescribing also benefits from these plans and that community-based care is involved in the discussions? The focus of this conversation was based on the need to embrace digital in order to demonstrate the impact of social prescribing using analytics and reports. As such, individuals engaging in social prescribing programmes and services can monitor their own progress, community providers can evidence the difference which their services make and therefore secure future funding and GPs can identify trends across a community cohort and provide enhanced care for patients.
we’re finding people are taking really well to adopting digital for #socialprescribing as you can see from this infographic- digital is helping build the case too for SP for the person, the community and the system pic.twitter.com/WVakwuecQk
— ✨Jennifer Elemental✨ (@JEN_Elemental) January 9, 2019
I love this and we do need to go digital. But digital with a human touch. Using great platforms and systems but to connect human beings
— charlie norman (@charlie_MSV) January 9, 2019
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A big thank you to everyone that joined in and contributed their ideas, thoughts and questions! Join us again on Social Prescribing Hour Wednesday 23rd January, 8-9pm.
Elemental Social Prescribing People
