Hello <<First Name>>

Welcome to our January newsletter and very importantly welcome to our new network members.

Over the course of last year the social prescribing network went from 100 keen members to nearly 600. This is a huge recognition of the sheer number of people who see that social prescribing has an important role to play in the future of health, social care and community. As the numbers have grown so quickly we have been working hard behind the scenes to accommodate so much delightful and informative contact from people around England, the UK and internationally. It has been wonderful to share the enthusiasm for change that really seeks to serve the person, not the patient. So, thank you to the many organisations, institutions, government departments and individuals for sharing your reports, news and successes with us.

Having established that there is an appetite for social prescribing, 2017 heralds the year of bring together our existing knowledge, developing and sharing best practice, getting the guidance documents written, developing a content-rich, 'one-stop' website, building a database that allows us to connect you all easily, and of course holding more events where we can get together in person.

The pace of changes and deadlines in the health and social sector has no mercy and sometime the social prescribing network may not keep to this speed. We feel that it is important to keep the network free for all, especially in times when finances are so tight. This means it takes a bit of time for us to secure investment to run the network, however, we are getting there. We also feel that it is important to produce high quality documents, and with so many stakeholders wisdom to incorporate, this takes a bit longer than usual - but it is worth it.

Do enjoy the newsletter - it is the first one on the new system, so if it doesn't look quite right, or we haven't got your name listed correctly... do let us know.

Wishing you good health for 2017,
Marie Polley
Co-Chair

Where it all started

For our newer members, we just wanted to show you where the network started from, here is the report from the first conference we held in January 2016 and click here to go to our website.

EVENTS

Social Prescribing: From rhetoric to reality.
National Conference with the Kings Fund
18th May 10am-4pm

This event, run in partnership with the Kings Fund, brings together national leaders and innovative local areas to provide a platform for enabling strategic collaboration and sharing of best practice.

The agenda provides a vital insight into the work of the social prescribing movement in improving wellbeing, reducing health inequalities and making the NHS more sustainable, by reducing demand on health services.

Throughout the day we will be exploring the range of benefits of social prescribing, and how best to measure and evaluate the impact and outcomes. Pioneering local areas will showcase their approach, challenges and achievements, and provide practical resources for commissioners and practitioners to develop in their own locality.

Click here to find out more information and book a place

Regional Networks.
Our regional networks are aimed at bringing those who are active in social prescribing and those who seek to become active, together. We hold events 2-3 times a year and have rolled out several regions in 2016.

A Regional Social Prescribing Conference for East of England

Tuesday 7 February 2017 – 10.00am – 4.00pm

Venue: Shendish Manor, Apsley, Hertfordshire

This free interactive event will share national and local evidence of impact, consider available models, funding arrangements, programme start up and what support may be needed over time to manage governance, risk and evaluate impact. It’s aimed at CCGs, STP footprints, local government, public health, general practitioners, the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector and people with experience of using social prescribing.

For more information please contact Tim Anfilogoff tim.anfilogoff@hertsvalleysccg.nhs.uk 07900 161673

RESOURCES and NEWS

Developing the website

Thank you to everyone who filled in the short survey on how you would like our website to look. We now have a good idea what you want, from the responses we received. If you are new to the mailing list and want to complete the survey, click here it will close soon!

Gloucestershire clinical commissioning group’s social prescribing service: Evaluation report. Project Report.

Many of you ask us for resources of evaluations that have been carried out. Click here to go to the report published by Dr Richard Kimberlee from the University of West England, in November 2016

London Social Prescribing map has been updated (again!)

As part of our Regional Voices' strategic partnership work, LVSC is mapping social prescribing activities in London. We will continue to update the map every quarter over the coming year. Click here for the map which comprises links to social prescribing activities in London. Each link takes you to a uniquely created page with information about and contact details of each social prescriber.

The map also includes a spreadsheet outlining how the projects are funded (see also page 1 of the mapping document).

We continue to work with Healthy London Partnership (HLP) to take this work forward as part of their work with commissioners and the National Social Prescribing Network. We intend to explore best practice and different models of social prescribing activities in London. We are now also liaising with NHS England regarding social prescribing at a national strategic level.

If you know of other and emerging social prescribing initiatives not listed on the map, please email Sandra at sandra@lvsc.org.uk. Please note that I work Tuesdays and alternate Tuesdays and Wednesdays only.

Contact us
If you want to share your social prescribing news or events, share resources, change your status on the mailing list, donate money or just talk to us,
please email us.

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Social Prescribing Network · 9th floor Borough Wing, Guy’s Hospital, · Great Maze Pond · London, London SE1 9RT · United Kingdom