A study of more than four million patient records shows that the rollout of Social Prescribing Link Workers has led to improved patient outcomes and experiences.
The report is by far the largest analysis of the national impact of the Government’s 2019 drive to increase the numbers of Social Prescribing Link Workers, who connect patients to activities and support in their communities which boost health and well-being.
This National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) funded research - led by researchers from The University of Manchester and co-authored with the University of Edinburgh, Newcastle University and University of Bristol – demonstrates that the scheme has led to improved outcomes and experiences for patients with long-term conditions and mental health needs.
An increase in the number of Link Workers “was associated with improved outcomes for individuals specifically targeted for social prescribing and had spillovers through improving overall patient experience with general practice."
The report concludes that the national rollout “has had the intended outcomes specified in the NHS Long-Term Plan.”
Benefitting patients and reducing pressure on health services
The new research adds to an already large evidence base for the benefits to patients, including the evaluation of the cross-Government Green Social Prescribing programme.
The report does not focus on the overall cost of social prescribing and whether it reduces pressure on the wider health system or represents good value for money. However, it does suggest that findings of patients having increased confidence in managing conditions may be associated with reduced healthcare use, as reported in other research studies.
This is supported by previous research by NASP, which suggests that social prescribing can lead to substantial reductions in health service use and costs.
We have also joined forces with University College London to establish a National Centre for Social Prescribing Data and Analysis, in order to analyse patient records and support more data-driven systems for social prescribing.
Charlotte Osborn-Forde, NASP’s Chief Executive, said:
"This is an important and ground-breaking piece of research. There is already a wide range of evidence demonstrating that social prescribing is highly impactful and can save the NHS money, but this is the first time research has been published showing statistically significant improvements for the whole population. It’s simple: the more Link Workers that are employed, the more likely it is that patients are able to manage their own health, and have a good experience of their GP.
"This is because Link Workers get to know patients, supporting them step by step to access local services, tackling issues like housing, debt, food or fuel poverty, loneliness and unemployment - the issues that matter to people and can have a big impact on our health. This vital research further supports the case for the expansion of social prescribing in the NHS so that is available to more patients who could benefit."
What the report showed
The study combined administrative workforce data and information from the General Practice Patient Survey between 2018 and 2023, which includes more than 4.1 million responses in total. It calculated the impact of adding one full-time equivalent (FTE) link worker per 50,000 patients to assess whether the NHS’ aims for the rollout were fulfilled.
The study found that for those with one or more long term conditions, patient confidence in managing their long-term condition increased, as well as feeling more supported by local services. Improvements were seen for those with mental health needs in feeling that their needs were understood. However, no evidence of benefit was found for those experiencing loneliness and social isolation; the authors suggested that this this could be due to the wording of the question within the General Practice Patient Survey from which the data is generated.
For all respondents there was an increase in their overall experience with general practice.
The results indicate that an increase in social prescribing provision has had a positive effect on the population level.
