Today (9 March) is Social Prescribing Day; an annual celebration of social prescribing, recognising social prescribers and link workers, local community groups and regional and national organisations which support people’s health and wellbeing.
‘Social Prescribing’ is a term which means linking people to non-medical sources of support to improve people’s health and wellbeing. This dedicated national day focuses on bringing everyone involved in social prescribing together to raise awareness of what social prescribing is, how it works, and how it changes lives.
Meet York CVS’s Social Prescribing Team…
Ways to Wellbeing and Primary Care Link Workers are part of the social prescribing team at York CVS. Primary Care Link Workers are Social Prescribers based in GP surgeries across York and our Ways to Wellbeing (W2W) Social Prescribing service supports York residents referred to us by local NHS *secondary care services.
Our Social Prescribing team works closely with Public Health York and Humber and North Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership to identify health inequalities and patient groups who would benefit from Social Prescribing. We also work with health professionals to identify areas of need and potential new referral sources (i.e. services), running pilot projects to test referrals from them.
“I achieved all my goals and am healthier, more sociable, more confident. I have been supported in connecting with the gym, Nordic Walking, Slimming World and City of York Health Trainers. I feel more confident. A lot calmer and able to handle crisis. My mental and physical health is much improved.” – Patient
What actually is Social Prescribing?
Despite the name, Social Prescribers never actually prescribe anything! Instead, it’s a bespoke form of support, where we ask the question “what matters to you?” We then develop tailored plans led by the person and their priorities, connecting them to community resources, groups and support services; learning and volunteering opportunities, and peer support networks.
How is Social Prescribing connected to York’s Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) Sector?
VCSE Sector organisations are a crucial part of social prescribing because social prescribing cannot thrive without a robust, responsive local VCSE Sector to refer into! A key part of the work of W2W is to contribute to the city’s VCSE Sector through our development work, testing out new ideas and new referral routes.
A key part of our work is to introduce people we support to volunteering opportunities around York so, part of our VCSE development work is also the creation of volunteering opportunities with VCSE organisations.
Ways to Wellbeing also run an annual small grants fund, providing grant opportunities to the VCSE Sector to enhance the depth and breadth of opportunities in the local community. Between 2016 and March 2022, the W2W Small Grants Fund had invested nearly £100,000 in York’s VCSE Sector!
* Secondary care service is a service that specialises in a particular health condition or illness or part of the body. It’s a service that you are referred to for specialist care after seeing a primary care professional (e.g. a GP or a practice nurse).
Find out more…
If you’d like to find out more about our Social Prescribing team, please visit our webpages below and follow us on social media.
Get in touch:
Want to know more about our service?
Email: waystowellbeing@yorkcvs.org.uk
Follow us on Twitter: @W2WYork
Get in touch:
To access this service and find out more call 01904 437911 or contact your GP surgery to be referred.
Follow us on Twitter: @PrimaryLinks
K’s story on how Green Social Prescribing
After being referred by their GP, K worked with their Social Prescribing Link Worker to find activities to support with socialising and improving mental wellbeing. Two Green Social Prescribing activities were suggested: volunteering as a walking buddy and taking part in Horse Assisted Therapy.
Due to a visual impairment, the person K is a Walking Buddy for was unable to get out much due to anxiety and other mental health issues. They now go for a walk together every week. For K, the exercise made them fitter, it gets them out and about and they really enjoy their walking buddy’s company. K reports that every walk lifts her mood.
Being with the horses made me feel closer to nature, calmer, and has helped me with my confidence and assertiveness.
Skills developed through these activities have even supported K to secure employment. K says that without the confidence they have gained through Green Social Prescribing activities, they never would have felt able to consider such a job.
K has highlighted other long term benefits of taking part in Green Social Prescribing, including that they now feel more confident to go to groups, and partake in activities where previously their anxieties and poor mental health may have inhibited them. They also feel they have ore awareness of the benefits of doing such things, as they can clearly see the positive impacts it has had on their mental health.