Social Prescriptions

Keeping up to date with what is happening across Leeds is made a lot easier through Volition. Their latest newsletter is here; I was particularly interested in the Patient  Empowerment Project (PEP)  providing Social Prescriptions to people in West Leeds:

“The main aim is to improve the wider health and wellbeing of patients.  The project will improve services for patients by providing GPs with a link to refer patients to local groups and community activities in the voluntary sector.  Referred patients will be supported either in a group, or one-to-one to help them to develop the skills, knowledge and confidence to self-manage their condition. This approach is called  ‘social prescribing’.  The ambition is to connect up GP clinical treatments with community based solutions to help people to manage their health issues as effectively as possible”.

My understanding is that people in west Leeds can also self refer – here is a description of how it will work:

“Discussion with the patient will clarify what will work for them and information on the project will be provided.  If a referral is agreed, PEP will make contact and meet the patient to discuss how best they may be supported by available services.  This might be one to one support or linking to a group or activity.  PEP staff will provide personal support for patients to attend their first session and get started in a new group, service or activity”.

You can read more about the project and arrange to attend one of the information sessioons here; I am keen to see how this links up with LYPFT, this would be very useful for people accesing mental health services to link in closely with the wider community to boost their health and wellbeing.

What’s your view on this – would you refer as a care coordinator? Would you encourage people to self refer?