It’s Social Prescribing Day on 10 March when the Social Prescribing awards will be presented during the International Social Prescribing Network conference.
Those in the know have a clear sense of what social prescribing is and benefits it can bring. But those not in the know are puzzled because the two words together can be confusing. What part of social can you prescribe? Is that prescription as in pills? Is it free? What does it do? How can I get it? And so on.
So at Chamberlain Dunn, wearing our clear communicators hat, we had a go at defining it without jargon, without using health experts’ shorthand and in 100 words. We had in mind that neat idea of a lift pitch: i.e. you have 60 seconds in the lift with an important person. Use the time to explain what you do and sell your idea.
Here goes:
‘Social prescribing is a free service for people who need to make a change in their lives to improve their health and wellbeing. Health professionals such as GPs refer patients to link workers who offer local opportunities to help physical and mental health. The range of activities is broad and includes community groups – anything from choirs to volunteering; cookery to financial advice services; sporting activities to befriending services. It aims to help the root cause of long- term health conditions such as loneliness or anxiety which cannot always cured by medication. ‘
Or this?
‘Social prescribing helps people access local non-clinical services that can help improve their wellbeing or health, people with mild or long- term mental health problems, who are socially isolated or suffering from multiple long-term conditions. Examples include community choirs, story walking, strength and balance classes, community garden volunteering or group cookery sessions. It recognises that health and wellbeing is often best addressed in a holistic way, so hopes to support individuals to take greater control of their own health and impact underlying social, economic or environmental factors themselves.’
Or this, using the simplest language?
‘Social prescribing is a way to help people with problems that are difficult to solve with medicines and pills – like loneliness or complex conditions that make people nervous of trying new experiences or uncertain that anything can help. The prescription can be anything from taking a cookery class, joining a singing group to helping care for a local garden. With this kind of help, doctors hope that the patient sees they have the power to change their lives, even in small ways, so gain the confidence to boost their health and wellbeing themselves.’
Or even this Twitter-sized bite:
‘Social prescribing is an activity-based local ‘prescription’ e.g. to garden, sing, or take lessons in a community group; benefits include helping people regain control of their wellbeing.’
Are these helpful? Can you do better in no more than 100 words? Have a go and send us the results. We’ll share them with the Network.