Social prescribing is a healthcare approach used in the UK (and increasingly in other countries) that helps people improve their health and wellbeing by connecting them with non-medical community services.
Instead of only prescribing medication, a GP or another healthcare professional can refer a patient to a link worker (sometimes called a social prescriber). The link worker then works with the person to understand their needs and helps them access activities or support such as:
Many health problems—like loneliness, mild depression, chronic illness, or stress—have social or lifestyle causes. Social prescribing aims to address these underlying factors, which can:
Anyone could be referred, but it’s especially useful for people who are:
