You may have heard more people talking about social prescribing recently, and this is due to the NHS making a change in the way that they support people with problems which could be effectively managed through lifestyle changes. These mostly include social and emotional issues such as loneliness or debt problems, that may affect their wellbeing and mental health.
“Community involvement in and/or leadership of social prescribing is where residents have been able to influence and/or take a lead in the design, delivery and evaluation of local social prescribing programmes, based on residents’ needs and identified solutions.”
Munro, E and Dayson, C. (2025) Community-led Social Prescribing, Lessons from Big Local and Beyond. National Academy for Social Prescribing.
The NHS describe the programme as ‘transformative’ with the potential to ‘enhance individuals’ health and wellbeing and foster stronger communities’. Every March there is a day dedicated to raising awareness for the initiative, to highlight the support that can be accessed. Patients are usually referred to a Social Prescribing Link Worker, who will work with the person to identify connections within the community to help resolve their issues.
Examples of Social Prescribing include:
- Befriending
- Housing and Benefits Advice
- Exercise
- Support Groups
- Faith
- Employment Advice
- Volunteering
- Counselling
The benefits of social prescribing include having someone to talk to about your issues that has the time to listen, and help you make a plan to resolve them. For people living with a bladder or bowel condition this could offer a lifeline toward greater wellbeing and ongoing support.
How Does Social Prescribing Work?
Social prescribing relies on agencies to refer to, however, which means that the coexistence of health and wellbeing must be prioritised. A Social Prescribing Link Worker will work with a patient to identify preferences, limitations and needs before referring them on to certain organisations. It’s all very well being prescribed ‘befriending’ but the scheme does rely heavily on these community groups being available to accommodate.
A research study into the impact of small providers as part of Social Prescribing in Rotheram noted:
“Arguably, the real value of social prescribing is the way it connects patients with complex health conditions to small local providers, and then on to a diverse range of community activities and opportunities. But there is a risk that without more sustainable models of investment many small providers, and the value they create, could be lost.”
The positive thing about having a Social Prescribing Link Worker is that there is a personal connection which is often lacking in primary care. Many people need to ‘offload’ and have someone’s support in organising a more robust care plan. This system seems to fill that gap in provision, allowing GP’s to help with the greatest physical or clinical need.
Does it actually benefit people?
There are over 1 million people referred to Social Prescribing Services each year, according to research. The benefits of social prescribing include improving awareness of local community groups and ‘ownership’ of local resources. On the other hand, the scheme exposes limited resources for volunteer led organisations and in some areas a lack of representation.
The idea behind social prescribing is to improve how patients are heard, and improve their pathway to support without the need for costly GP appointments. That said however, you should also feel able to book a GP appointment if you feel this is necessary for your health, whether physical or emotional.
There are some digital solutions for social prescribing as well as face to face, such as our Bladder & Bowel Support Group. It is believed that human support is important to the scheme, and that online support should be supplemented.
A study carried out in Newcastle of Ways to Wellness, a Social Prescribing model implemented between 2015 and 2025, describes the following outcomes:
Improved Wellbeing
- According to Commissioning Better Outcomes, the initiative achieved 73% and 94% of its respective targets toward improved wellbeing
- 86% service users in the first five years reported an improvement in at least one area of wellbeing.
Reduced Costs
- Reduced Costs – Costs of the scheme 27% lower per patient than the comparison cohort,
- £4.6 million Cumulative costs avoided in secondary care, over the first 5 years of the service.
This shows the power of social prescribing in just one area of the UK, however similar data is still emerging from other areas, so cannot be taken in isolation.
Benefits of Social Prescribing
There are some huge benefits to communities from social prescribing, including bolstered membership and improved awareness. Volunteer led groups can benefit from attracting more people who need them, to help support funding streams or hands-on support. In return, communities benefit from the greater voice generated from wider involvement. They are more likely to be taken seriously by Local Authorities to leverage provision on a regional level.
Patients can benefit from greater involvement and connection with their local community, accessing support or finding connection in ways they might not otherwise encounter. The challenge is availability and accessibility of those services, however, and much concern is centred around resourcing grass-roots organisations.
Green Social Prescribing
A more outdoors version is Green Social Prescribing, which helps people to take part in nature-based activities to improve their mental and physical health. It works in a very similar way to Social Prescribing, making use of a link worker who helps to connect patients with suitable organisations.
The distinct definition however, is that green social prescribing is predominantly outdoors, and connects people with nature.
This can result in the following:
- Reduced Blood Pressure and Stress levels
- Lower levels of cardiovascular and respiratory problems
- Reduced risk of diabetes, obesity, and COVID-19
- Increased wellbeing & Happiness
- Reduced social isolation
- Improved Resilience happiness
- Decrease in PTSD symptoms and ADHD (alongside therapeutic and mindfulness activities).
How can you access Social Prescribing?
Social Prescribing has been embedded in Primary Care since 2019 and is now well established. You can access Social Prescribing schemes through your GP as well as other agencies, such as Pharmacies, Local Authority, Hospital Discharge Teams, and the Emergency Services. Housing associations and Debt services should also be able to refer you.
So if you are prescribed, what can you expect?
- You’ll be referred to a Social Prescribing Link Worker who will have an initial consultation with you, to develop a ‘what matters to you’ to understand needs and preferences.
- The Link Worker will then work with you to identify opportunities that might be of interest.
- Lastly, you’ll be referred to community organisations by your Link Worker
Further Information
You can find out more from the Social Prescribing Academy who are continuing to monitor outcomes and provide insights into research. NHS England also provides important information on the Social Prescribing provision, which is useful for patients and healthcare professionals.
Having a bladder or bowel condition can feel isolating and it can be difficult talking to those around you. Not everyone understands how debilitating these conditions are, which means that being able to talk to someone who shares your experiences can be a great help.
We offer the Bladder & Bowel Community Support Group as a way for people to connect, share ideas and support each other. It’s also a way you might find other support outlets for your condition.
Find out more and join the Support Group here: https://www.bladderandbowel.org/news/new-bladder-bowel-community-facebook-support-group/
Get in touch
Have you accessed Social Prescribing services? We’d love to hear from you to find out more about how this initiative can support people living with bladder and bowel conditions – Get in touch.