Please visit the Community Wellbeing website: www.glosvcsalliance.org.uk/social-prescribing for more information about social prescribing in your area.

Healthcare professionals are skilled and experienced at diagnosing and treating medical conditions. They may also identify that you could have a non-medical issue (this may not necessarily be related to your health condition), which could benefit from the services of an organisation or community group which is local to you.

Alternatively, you may need some advise of assistance for yourself or someone you care for, but not know where to turn.

How does it work?

There are lots of groups, organisations and clubs which can support the health and wellbeing of local people. However, people often don’t know about them, or the support they can provide.

Several of these groups and organisations have decided to work more closely with GPs and other healthcare professionals to help ensure that people know what support and services they could benefit from and how to get in touch.

You can speak to any member of staff at Overton Park about a Social Prescribing referral, and you will either be able to sign a consent form on the day or speak to someone over the phone and consent verbally. Someone from the Social Prescribing team will be in touch within a few weeks to discuss the sort of help you could benefit from.

What kind of support is available?

Depending on your individual situation, you might benefit from help in some of the following areas:

• Accessible transport
• Age related activities and advice
• Support with healthy lifestyles
• Building networks and making friends in your community
• Getting back into work (if that’s what you want)
• Housing-related issues
• Housing / legal / financial advice, food banks and advocacy
• Information, support and services for carers
• Social activities around disability or long term conditions
• Help with emotional and family issues

and more…

Social Prescribing are like a broker of dozens of different services, and a knowledgeable adviser. They are up-to-date on what is available, and will help you to get the assistance you need.

So what happens next?

Once your a referral has been made, an appointment will be made with a social prescribing coordinator to talk to you about local groups or organisations that might be able to help.

If you’re happy to be put into touch with these organisations, your details will be passed on, and the organisation(s) will then contact you to discuss how they can help. They may arrange to meet with you to work out the best course of action for you

Finally

Please make sure you’re happy with the recommendation – we want to be sure it’s right for you. You will be asked to fill out a brief wellbeing form and to provide feedback after a few weeks.

This will help us to ensure that things are going well and that you’re happy with the service. Your personal information will be held securely by the social prescribing service and the Overton Park practice.