Lead Social Prescribing Link Worker Susie Purslow demonstrates how including social prescribing at MDT improves patient support for the older population.
Key lessons from this case study
- Knowledge of community development approaches and the social model of health helped develop a team proactive and responsive to local needs and assets.
- Social prescribing delivered as part of a multi-disciplinary team with a frailty nurse enables access for patients to holistic personalised care and support.
- Asset based approaches and good local relationships help realise the potential of people to help themselves and others.
- Recognition of the value of the Voluntary, Community, Faith and Social Enterprise (VCFSE) sector, collaboration and equal investment in social prescription benefits the community.
What are the key components of delivering effective social prescribing for older people? 
The key components are:
- A community development approach
- Having social prescribers as part of an MDT
- asset based approach
- equal partnership working with the VCFSE sector.
It’s important to use a community development and a social model of health approach to effectively build a proactive, collaborative approach embedded within the community to support patients ageing better. This is because it takes to build and nurture relationships both with VCFSE groups and individuals within the local community.
If Social Prescribers are part of a multi-disciplinary team (MDT) a patient is more effectively and sustainably supported in a personalised holistic manner. Our MDT consists of social prescribers, care coordinators, our frailty nurse and the Complex Care at Home team who sit within the Integrated Community Team as 25% of our patient population is over the age of 65.
It’s essential to work with local assets such as ‘community connectors’, local parish councillors, and foodbank coordinators who know what resources are available locally. Utilising local infrastructure networking builds assets such as strategic connections and access to local intelligence.
Equal partnership working with the local VCFSE as part of a whole systems approach is crucial to ensure recognition and value of the expertise each sector possesses. This then helps to effectively understand what each partner is able to do to make a difference when a gap is identified. We worked together and secured funding to offer a series of art-based classes. We recognised this creative activity was needed through talking to many socially isolated people who were interested in activities that were not condition focused but also offer social interactions.
For more information about these approaches contact the National Lead for Older People via [email protected]