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Welcome to our latest newsletter!

Over the past year there has been an incredible amount of activity in the social prescribing world.  We have seen the introduction of social prescribing to the GP contract, link workers being employed en mass, the launch of the National Academy of Social Prescribing and the Institute for Social Prescribing and many new social prescribing initiatives being born.  

 

After 14 years in academia, I decided to leave my position at the University of Westminster and set up my own business focusing on what I enjoy doing the most – evaluation, consultancy and supporting the implementation and scale up of social prescribing and of course Co-Chairing the Social Prescribing Network. 

 

This has meant reviewing where the Social Prescribing Network cohabits.  You may or may not know that the Social Prescribing Network started out as a free network for anyone who felt they had something to offer.  We are determined to keep this a free network and  the Social Prescribing Network is delighted to now be partnering with the College of Medicine.    This will allow us to continue supporting all sectors involved in the social prescribing movement.   You might think the College of Medicine sounds medical – it is in fact a charity that leads the way in supporting healthcare professionals to think beyond traditional medical boundaries and has been supporting social prescribing since it started.

 

The next big thing to happen in the social prescribing world is Social Prescribing Day on 12th March 2020.   Resources are available online and we will be sharing events on Twitter so make sure to tag us @SocialPrescrib2.  There is already a huge amount of activity on twitter, let's make #SocialPrescribingDay trend bigger and better
than last year!







Marie Polley
Co-Chair, Social Prescribing Network


Events

Social Prescribing & inequalities: critical conversation & practical approaches. 27th May 2020. University of Salford.

This conference will explore innovative approaches that are being used and could be developed to help reduce health and social inequalities through social prescribing. The event will provide an opportunity for practitioners, commissioners, providers, community organisations and academics to share ideas, experience and practice on a range of issues including the likes of: loneliness, marginalised groups, women and children, homelessness, dental challenges, mental health and others. The conference will be a forum for creative and critical conversations to help develop practical ideas and approaches.

Key topics to be explored at the conference include:

  • tackling health and social problems and inequalities
  • funding sustainable social prescribing services and ecosystems
  • capturing and sharing the value of social prescribing
  • running and designing social prescribing services for maximum access and effect

Further details and booking are available online


13th European Congress for Integrative Medicine  11th-13th September, London, UK

This congress brings together internationally relevant research and knowledge around medicine that supports the whole person.  For the first time Social Prescribing is included in the agenda.  Do consider submitting a research abstract for the Lifestyle Medicine and Social Prescribing part of the programme to share your knowledge and research in social prescribing to an international audience. More information can be found here



Parents 1st National Conference. Celebrate volunteering in pregnancy, birth & beyond: sharing, connecting & surviving. 17th March, 2020. NCVO, London.
Join others with a passion for perinatal peer support at this exciting event!

Gain knowledge about the latest research, listen to what is being achieved across the UK and gain ideas about how to enable effective perinatal volunteer programmes to survive and flourish. An exciting new website will also be launched on the day - an online community that shares knowledge, learning, and resources – free of charge! 
Further details and booking are available online.


Research and Resources


Social Prescribing Network Research Month #SocialPrescribingResearch

Over the month of March we are going to be tweeting research articles from @SocialPrescrib2.  Whilst some people are aware of the research out there, many people who are new to social prescribing will benefit from reading the research papers and reports.  If you have written or read a good quality report/research paper that is specifically on social prescribing that you think others would benefit from, tell us why you think this is a good article and give us the link.  Contact us via this link

We will the curate all the links onto a new section for our website to make it easier to access good quality resources.
 

What does successful social prescribing look like?
Mapping meaningful outcomes - Marie Polley et al (2020).

Funded by the National Lottery Community Fund, this study aimed to investigate and collate all the outcomes that are being experienced in link worker based social prescribing schemes in the UK.  A large evidence gap where research money needs to be invested was identified.  This study highlighted 60% of outcomes identified in this research are not being measured, particularly those associated with wider determinants of health. This is where the VCSE organisations engaged with social prescribing are not receiving full attribution for their contribution to improving the health and wellbeing of people.   A rethink of the underlying paradigm of social prescribing is needed and a community capitals framework is recommended.
 

Health Equity in England: The Marmot Review 10 Years On

This week saw the much awaited 10 Year update from Sir Michael Marmot and team at the Institute of Health Equity.  For the first time in more than 100 years life expectancy has failed to increase across the country, and for the poorest 10% of women it has actually declined. Over the last decade health inequalities have widened overall, and the amount of time people spend in poor health has increased since 2010.  Click here to find all the information you need.  This underscores the importance of recognising the contribution that social prescribing can make to addressing the determinants of health.


Factors associated with attendance, engagement and wellbeing in arts on prescription interventions. Sumner et al (2020).
Using the largest cohort of patient data to date in the field (N = 1297), we set out to understand those factors that are associated with attendance, programme engagement and wellbeing change of patients. Factors associated with these outcomes were assessed using three binary logistic regression models.  The role of baseline wellbeing in each outcome of these analyses is the most critical associative factor. Whilst those that are lower in wellbeing have more to gain from these interventions, they are also less likely to attend or engage, meaning they may need additional support in commencing these types of social prescribing interventions.
Available for free for a limited time here

Social Prescribing Guidance for Children and Young People Schemes.
We are delighted to share the news that guidance for social prescribing with children and young people has been commissioned by NHS England and Improvement.  This is being led by @PaulWJarvis of Streetgames who also leads the Social Prescribing Youth Network.
If you want to be involved in the consultation on the guidance, happening in March, make sure you are signed up to the mailing list for the Social Prescribing Youth Network.  Contact Paul for more details 

 


Extra resources

Solving the problems in primary care
An interesting article by Becky Malby, Professor in Health Care Innovations at London South Bank University.  This article includes a survey on how PCNs view their purposes.

Peace by Piece - A Film Of Medicine In Miniature
A wonderful short video that serves a reminder of how much social prescribing programs impact individual lives.  Models for Heros, is a charity that provides model making provisions to the UK's current and former Armed Forces and Emergency Services personnel.  
 


Join the conversation every Wednesday 8-9pm. #socialpreshour
 
You are invited to join a dedicated conversation to social prescribing on Twitter, every Wednesday, 8-9pm GMT.  There are over 4,000 followers including CCGs, Clinical Leads for Social Prescribing, VCSEs, Housing Associations and Local Authorities - discussing key themes, news and topics around social prescribing. The weekly @SocialPresHour will be hosted by a range of thought leaders throughout 2019.  

Want to sign up to the social prescribing network or share something with us?
Sign up directly by clicking here and completing the short form.
Email us at socialprescribing@outlook.com.
Tweet us @SocialPrescrib2.
View our archive of newsletters.

Copyright © 2020 Social Prescribing Network, All rights reserved.


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