Social prescribing is designed to help people with a wide range of social, emotional or practical needs. It's a way of enabling GPs, health and social care practitioners, the voluntary sector and other partners such as job centres and pharmacies to refer people to a link worker. In Shropshire these link workers are called social prescribing advisors.

Social prescribing uses a person-centred, preventative approach by intervening early, before problems start to escalate. People referred have the space to talk one to one with a social prescribing advisor and come up with a plan of action together, to help resolve health and wellbeing concerns and help put the person back in charge of their life.

Connecting people back to a service or activity in their community is key to social prescribing, and this comes through linking people to local voluntary and community-based groups or activities. 

The scheme is evolving in Shropshire, and is currently available in a number of GP practices:

Oswestry

• Plas Ffynnon Medical Centre
• The Caxton Surgery
• Cambrian Medical Centre

Ellesmere

• Churchmere Medical Group

Albrighton

• Albrighton Medical Practice

Bishops Castle

• Bishops Castle Medical Practice

Shrewsbury

• Claremont Bank Surgery
• Marden Medical Practice
• Radbrook Green Surgery
• Severn Fields Medical Practice

Bridgnorth  

• Bridgnorth Medical Practice

People who are:

• Caring for someone who could not manage without this help
• Feeling lonely or socially isolated
• Wanting to change their lifestyle eg give up smoking or lose weight
• Living with a long-term health condition

The Shropshire scheme has three key components:

• A referral from a healthcare practitioner, or other authorised practitioner to an advisor
• A personal consultation with the advisor, allowing people to discuss their concerns
• An agreed referral to local voluntary and community-based groups or activities