January 2018 news
So did you get chance to relax over Christmas - or at least to step back from work? I certainly did, but somehow it feels like a long time ago already!
We held a strategy meeting on the 11th of January which was a great day of bringing our steering committee and other key people together to help us prioritise our work for the year. It was also a valuable space to reflect on what goals we set ourselves in 2016 how we have done with those. In the next newsletter we will share our strategies for this year, some key dates for events and how we plan to move forwards.
In this newsletter we want to share the events, research papers and other social prescribing news with you. Our regional events continue to be very popular and we are delighted to bring these to you. Can I make a plea that if you can not use your place - these things happen!- please let us know. There is always a waiting list for the events.
We are in the process of making updates to the website, so gradually this will become more useful in terms of finding key contacts around the UK and Ireland as well as other resources...it feels like a positive start to the New Year!
Best wishes,
Marie
Co-Chair, Social Prescribing Network
Research and reports
Published by Dr. Bertotti et al. at the University of East London is an investigation as to whether a social prescribing service could be implemented in a general practice setting and to evaluate its effect on well-being and primary care resource use.
The most recent edition of Perspectives in Public Health was guest edited by Theo Stickley aiming to shine a light on the world of Arts and Health research and developments.
Social prescribing: community-based referral in public health.
Presenting an overview of social prescribing in arts and health from Prof. Helen Chatterjee, Marie Polley and Gavin Clayton.
Effects of a museum-based social prescription intervention on quantitative measures of psychological wellbeing in older adults.
Published by Prof. Chatterjee et al. at University College London this paper assesses psychological wellbeing in a novel social prescription intervention for older adults called Museums on Prescription and to explore the extent of change over time in six self-rated emotions.
Both of these articles are written by Chris Dayson at CRESR, Sheffield Hallam University and review the concepts of social innovation, social prescribing plus and how this relates to policy.
Impact of social prescribing
Don't forget if you are making business cases for social prescribing we have our earlier resource which critically examines the evidence for the economic impact of social prescribing.
National and regional events
Aesop Arts and Society 'National Arts in Health Conference and Showcase' is an event for health decision makers with a focus on how the arts can contribute to current health priorities. Taking place on the 19th of April at the at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, further information and tickets can be accessed here.
SPN Regional events
Our regional events continue to be a huge success with a great mix of people, energy and ideas. They also book up incredibly quickly. We aim to keep organising the events so we can share the learning from one region to the next. It also helps us to hear what the challenges and issues are on the ground.
The events in England are a collaboration with NHS England who are very kindly supporting the cost of the venue and catering. The social prescribing network members then help to organise the events, the content and get the speakers (for free). The collaboration allows us to offer the events for free. So thank you to NHS England for continuing to work with us on this.
Both the Midlands and South West Regional meetings are fully booked. If you are no longer able to attend, please contact Phoebe Jones on england.pcevents@nhs.net so we can utilise the space for our waiting list.
The Midlands Regional Social Prescribing Network meeting takes place in Birmingham on 1st February 2018. Please use this link to access any further information and book a place.
The South West Regional Social Prescribing Network meeting in collaboration with the Campaign to End Loneliness. This will be held on the 13th February, at the Watershed in Bristol. This link will take you to the registration page.
Social Prescribing Network Ireland - save the date.
The next regional meeting will be in Dublin on Thursday, March 8th 2018 at the Mercer’s Institute for Successful Ageing at St James’ Hospital in Dublin. Times to be confirmed but it will likely be an all day event (from 10:30 to 3:30 or thereabouts).
Please email davidjamesrobinson@me.com to register your interest.
Social Prescribing Student Conference - save the date.
The first Social Prescribing Student Conference will be held on 24th March. Further details on times, locations and speakers to be confirmed.
Media Interests
Dr. Michael Dixon on BBC Radio 4
January has seen Michael kick off the year championing Social Prescribing. The full broadcast is available until February 3rd whilst a transcript can be accessed via the College of Medicine website.
Social Prescribing in the news
December was a good month for Social Prescribing with several positive news features. In case you missed them during all the festivities here is a collection of articles
The Telegraph
The Sun
The Independent
Social Prescribing Hour @SocialPresHour
You are invited to join a dedicated conversation to social prescribing on Twitter, every Wednesday, 8-9pm GMT. We currently have 600 followers that consist of CCGs, Clinical Leads for Social Prescribing, VCSEs and Housing Associations and LAs - discussing key themes, news and topics around social prescribing. The weekly @SocialPresHour will be hosted by a range of thought leaders throughout 2018.
Join the conversation every Wednesday 8-9pm. #socialpreshour
Social Prescribing Wiki
This wiki is dedicated to Social Prescribing & Self Care. It is intended as a resource for everyone who is interested in Social Prescribing & Self Care and related subject matters.
Special Interest Groups:
Within the Social Prescribing Network we have 2 active special Interest Groups and one being set-up. There only criteria is that you are active in the subject area of each group, in some way or another!
Medical Student Network and Curriculum Design
This network has been set-up and managed by Bogdan Chiva Guirca, a medical student at Exeter Medical School. It is a collaboration between the Social Prescribing Network, NHS England and the College of Medicine. Bogdan has been compiling a network of student champions to represent every medical School in the UK, as well as researching medical student opinions on social prescribing being taught within their curriculums. There is a list of remaining medical schools that have yet to become part of the student network of champions. Any contacts that could facilitate this for the following list of schools, please contact Bogdan.
Warwick
St George’s London
Oxford
Keele
Aberdeen
Central Lancashire
Newcastle
All emails to Bogdan at this address: bc299@exeter.ac.uk
Social Prescribing and Young People
The group has been set-up by Paul Jarvis-Beesley, Head of Sport and Health at Streetgames, and is actively talking with other people in the network who are involved with social prescribing schemes and young people. If you would like to find out more about the discussions and research ideas, please email Paul on: Paul.Jarvis@streetgames.org
Social Prescribing and Nursing
This our next special interest group that we would like to set up. We know that there is a huge untapped potential and learning to be gained by having a group for nurses. Michelle Howarth, who leads the MSc in Nursing at the University of Salford has kindly volunteered to bring a group together.
If you want to find out more please contact Michelle at this address: m.l.howarth2@salford.ac.uk
Other items to share
Congratulations! The Conservation Volunteers
Craig Lister has announced that TCV, the community volunteering charity, has received a £397,000 National Lottery grant from the Big Lottery Fund, the largest funder of community activity in the UK.
TCV will work with the Social Prescribing Network, NHS England and the NHS across the home countries, commissioners, academics, charities and user groups to support the further development of social prescribing. This will include consolidating and piloting a quality assurance tool and evaluation framework to enable the wide scale uptake of social prescribing alongside the standard medical model.
Contact information
If you want to get in touch with the social prescribing network the email address is socialprescribing@outlook.com.
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