Social prescribing
What is social prescribing?
Social prescribing started in Shropshire in 2017, working in partnership across health, care and voluntary and community sectors. It's also part of the NHS Long Term Plan.
Social prescribing gives people time to talk, one to one, with a trained healthy lives advisor to come up with a plan of action together, to help improve health and wellbeing concerns and put the person back in charge of their life.
Many things affect your health and wellbeing. GPs tell us that a lot of people visit them feeling isolated or lonely, or they might be stressed out by work, money and housing problems. Sometimes it’s the stress of managing different long-term conditions. Some people would like to make changes such as be more active, lose weight or stop smoking. Your doctor or another person that refers to social prescribing can refer you to a Healthy Lives advisor. They're there to listen to you and put you in touch with the people and activities that might help you to feel better.
Your Healthy Lives advisor might introduce you to a community group, a new activity or a local club, or they might help you find advice or debt counselling. They might just help you find information and guidance: a bit of inside knowledge on your situation or what local resources there are. They could even support you to create something new such as a gardening club, a fishing group, a ‘men’s shed’ or knit and knatter group.
They can support you with losing weight, being more active or stopping smoking, if that's something you'd like to do. Social prescribing can help you to have more control over your own health and find ways to improve how you feel in a way that suits you.
Studies show that people get better and feel better faster than those treated with medicine alone. And because it works, it’s happening more and more – including here in Shropshire.
We offer both an adults and a children and young people’s service. You can find out more by watching the video...
Children and young people
Social prescribing is offered across Shropshire for those aged 11 (in school year 7) and above. We would usually meet you in the school you attend or maybe in a community venue.
It's a non-medical approach to helping you feel better and finding out what matters to you. If you'd like to feel happier, make friends where you live, try something new or get fitter one of our team can help you. Your Healthy Lives advisor may introduce you to a community group, a new activity or a local club. They could help you meet new people, find information or access advice about an issue.
Who is it for?
- Young people who feel isolated and want support to meet other people
- Young people who feel low or a little anxious and may feel better joining a social group
- Young people who have a health condition which can be supported through community activities
- Young people who need support with support and advice on practical issues such as housing or money
- Young people who need support with their wellbeing and education
Self-referral form for children and young people
Complete the form if you are a young person, or their parent or carer (for referring organisations please continue to refer using your usual route or contact healthylives@shropshire.gov.uk for more information).
Adults
Social prescribing is available through every GP practice in Shropshire.
How do appointments work?
During your initial contact with your Healthy Lives advisor, they will arrange your initial baseline appointment. This could be face to face in your GP surgery or over the phone depending on your requirements and room availability.
How long is the programme?
You'll receive support from your Healthy Lives advisor for social prescribing for approximately three months, after which you'll complete a final follow up.
How often can I expect an appointment?
Your appointments could be fortnightly or monthly depending on what your needs are; this will be decided between yourself and your Healthy Lives advisor.
How long are appointments?
Your initial appointment will be up to 40 minutes, and follow up appointments will be up to 20 minutes.
At the end of the three-month period you'll have a final follow-up appointment.
How do I make contact in between appointments?
You'll have contact with your advisor at arranged appointments. However if you need to cancel or rearrange an appointment you can do so by calling your GP practice.
How do I access social prescribing?
Adults can access the service through referral from their GP and certain practitioners in health and social care, the voluntary sector and other partners. The service is available to those aged 18 years and older across the county.
You can also self-refer to adults social prescribing by completing the self referral form on this page, or by calling 0345 678 9028 Monday to Friday (9am to 5pm) and selecting the self-referral to social prescribing option.
You can also email healthylives@shropshire.gov.uk with the subject "Social prescribing self-referral".
Self referral form for adults
Complete this form if you're self-referring, for referring organisations please continue to refer using your usual route or contact healthylives@shropshire.gov.uk for more information.
Facts and figures
- There has been an increase in referrals of 73% compared to 2021-22
- In 2023 there were 3501 referrals into adults social prescribing in Shropshire
- In 2023 there were 564 referrals into children and young people’s social prescribing
- Of those who continued the service for three months 79% reported an improvement in the concern they wanted support with, and 63% reported an improvement in their overall wellbeing
- Improvements were shown for individuals across all four sections of the Office of National Statistics wellbeing scale, including increased happiness, life satisfaction and worthwhile and reduced anxiety
Feedback and stories from people who have accessed social prescribing
Angharad’s story
Angharad accessed the social prescribing programme as she was new to the area and struggling. She'd become a single mum to twin babies and was struggling with her mental health. Her GP referred her to a Healthy Lives advisor for social prescribing, initially to discuss financial issues but also to talk about losing weight and stopping smoking.
In what ways did the service support you?
“I went to see my advisor initially to help me deal with financial issues, but in the end his support has helped me in so many ways. He helped me to access the Household Support Fund so that I could get a new oven, he referred me to the food bank and local community fridge, and brought me seeds so that I could start growing food, which has also been good for my mental health.
Since my first meeting with my advisor, I've lost seven stone. He's helped me realise the true importance of nutrition and exercise as part of a healthy lifestyle. I eat three meals a day and plan healthy meals. My advisor helped me find the confidence to start walking, and I'm walking 5-10 miles every day, which has also massively helped my mental health. Before, if I was feeling stressed or low, I would sit on the sofa and eat biscuits whereas my coping mechanism now is to get outside and walk. It's a total recharge and refresh so that when I come back home, I'm reset. I feel like a million dollars!
I’ve also stopped smoking with the support of my advisor. I found the first month really hard but then found myself to be less stressed and saving money, which was a big help.
How did you find the process of making change or accessing activities (was it easy or challenging?)
It’s taken a lot of hard work and determination but having someone to help me to access local activities has been a huge help. I moved to my area only last year and had no idea what was going on, but I now feel connected to my local community and know where to go. My advisor has helped me to access a baby group and given me information about setting up a business and accessing transport.
What are the benefits to you (or your family) since you've accessed this service?
What are the benefits? – everything! My relationships have improved, I'm more independent and comfortable in myself, and I'm being the best mum I can for my girls.
Michael’s* Story (Michael is a pseudonym)
Michael is retired and in his 60s. He wanted support to increase his physical activity and lose weight. He was referred to social prescribing by his GP practice.
Michael and his Healthy Lives advisor met and discussed his goals and the options for physical activity in his area that he could access.
“When I met the advisor, I found very quickly that she was someone who listened to me and was genuinely wanting to help me. The fact that she was able to understand what I was talking about meant a lot to me”.
When asked about the benefits since making changes Michael said “I found I could cut my toenails and do more exercise – walking and a little cycling.”
Feedback comments from the Children and Young People’s Service
“Great help for improving my mental health and I felt I could talk about my problems and come up with ways to resolve them.”
“Helped family relationships and behaviour.”
“The social prescribing that I received was very helpful with helping resolve my anxiety problems. Caroline was wonderful and very helpful.”
“Extremely useful and made me feel a lot more secure and aware about certain things. Referred to early help, netball team, Beam and Young Rangers.”
“Having social prescribing as a regular, consistent support on school grounds has been such a positive resource for us. Having social prescribing in school to support a number of our mid-range children also allows us the scope to target intervention for those pupils in need of higher-level support.”
“We hugely value the service social prescribing has provided this school. The students have all responded positively to the support, and we have nothing but high praise for the contribution they've made to this school. This is so effective in dealing with issues as they arise, rather than waiting for a lengthy outcome for a referral.”
“They were able to reset the focus with those referring to have a more preventative focus and work with those where needs were emerging before they were escalating. Those involved have been able to see the positive impact of this early intervention work, which supports young people to become more empowered.”
Feedback comments from Adults Service
“Please carry on the good work, it really positively helped me through a very rough time.”
“Was nice to have someone there to talk with about concerns around our diet, didn’t feel under pressure to try new things and the suggestions made fitted our lifestyle. Jacquie has been fantastic.”
“Given me the confidence to know the path forward is the right one for me. Would not have been able to do this without the support of Elwyn. He gave me lots of ideas to make what I eat more exciting and enjoyable and at the same time I lost almost 14lb.”
“This is an excellent service. The support that I have received was fantastic at a time when I was very low.”
“I am able to eat, breath and sleep properly now. She also helped me with the food bank referrals, and I go and collect from them, it has worked really well. Isobel was brilliant with this.”
“I have started going to a local group Lisa found for me, and I have implemented the suggestions she gave. Just being able to talk to her knowing she would listen was a great help, she made me feel comfortable in our sessions.”
“I found that this service was very valuable, and I felt valued throughout the consultations. Whilst it is difficult to assess whether this service has prevented me having to see my GP for medication, I do feel that it has been useful and helped me to think more positively about my current situation.”
Social prescribing activities directory
Social prescribing directories have been developed in partnership between Shropshire Council and QUBE, as part of the Shropshire Social Prescribing model. The aim is to help GP practices and other organisations find information about community activity and groups in their locality.
National information
Resources and information leaflets
Figures and statistics
Since 2017 when we started offering social prescribing in Shropshire we've received over 11,000 referrals, 1,245 of these have been for our Children and Young People’s Service that we've built up over more recent years.
We follow a model named MYCaW (Measure Yourself Concerns and Wellbeing). Our data shows that during 2023-24 over 66% of people informed us that their overall wellbeing had improved since accessing social prescribing.