Monthly Archives: May 2020

Tim Anfilogoff, Head of Community Resilience for Herts Valleys CCG gives his reflections on Social Prescribing and Covid-19 in West Hertfordshire. In 2014, Herts Valleys CCG, in partnership with Herts County Council, commissioned four voluntary organisations to provide six community navigators.  This service was built on HertsHelp  which is a county-wide single point of access for expert triage to 12,000 entries on the community database.    The navigators soon showed the difference they could make ‘getting alongside’ people who needed - but would never ring – HertsHelp.  The service was expanded into the countywide Hospital and Community Navigator Service [...]

Alistair Clarke, MBE FRSA is chair of Social Enterprise Solutions writes about what it's like working in a social prescribing project during COVID 19. “I can’t use a computer. My husband could, but he died last November.” I’m on the phone to a woman in Blackpool in her 70s and I’m working on a social prescribing project in partnership with a number of GPs’ surgeries. I’m checking on her wellbeing, that she can access food and medication, and in that moment, I sensed how the harsh reality of recently losing a loved one combined with the Covid-19 lockdown had [...]

This blog from Christiana Melam, CEO of the National Association of Link Workers sets out a compelling argument for recognising the role of social prescribing link workers in responding to the COVID pandemic.  If you are interested in finding out more about the organisation and how they support link workers join @nalwuk #LinkWorkerChat on 5th May, 6-7pm to learn more or contribute to discussions. Coronavirus (Covid19) pandemic validates the role of Social Prescribing Link Workers Covid19 brought into limelight why we need Social Prescribing Link Workers and how essential their role is.  National Association of Link Worker’s members have reported [...]