Nominator Roisin Reilly, Social Prescriber, says: ‘The team commenced employment in the borough on April 1st, just as the pandemic arose. We quickly approached the surgeries who were not too sure how to manage us as new employees during a stressful time. We personally requested their shielding lists to reach the most high risk and vulnerable patients as quickly as possible, to ensure they had access to food and medication. We are telephone- based only and remote working which is a new way of working for many of us. Whilst quickly integrating into the surgeries, we ensured all staff now know the purpose of social prescribing and how to refer, giving them examples of patients already supported. Patients who have been impacted by COVID are being supported to access all the necessary resources and services which they may struggle to understand or locate. As a team we collectively share the latest initiative and changes to processes, to best support our patients, including those who do not have internet access and need alternative access. We have had very positive feedback from Clinical Directors, GPs and patients alike, with reviews on the NHS website. In a trying time, we have held each other up and shone a light on how necessary social prescribing is, more than ever. ‘
