Nominator Gemma Gowan Health and Wellbeing Projects Manager say that in March the team of Social Prescribers hit the ground running with new tasks and new ways of working to continue providing person centred support as the pandemic hit. Through outstanding teamwork, they successfully supported hundreds of people, adopted a role that felt almost like a new job, and adjusted to changes the pandemic brought to them personally. The service has been available on bank holidays to keep up with demand, and successfully gone paper free. Social Prescribers have continued to support people referred to improve wellbeing by focussing on what matters to them. In addition, the team made over 1,500 welfare check calls to ensure people had all they needed to stay physically, mentally, and socially well during lockdown. This different approach to Social Prescribing was embraced and the model was developed quickly with input and expertise from all team members. Peer support across the Social Prescribing team and Wolseley Trust colleagues has been exceptional. Challenges are discussed, solutions are shared, and of course there have been plenty of non-judgemental listening ears. At a time where workload has never been more intense and barriers to access have grown taller and broader, the Wolseley Trust and the Social Prescribing team have adapted and reacted, while keeping people in the centre.
