Hello everyone
I write this as we have just had the minutes silence to remember those who have died due to Covid-19. It is sad and sombering to get to a year milestone - we send our condolences to you all who have lost someone this past year.
For all of you on the frontline, you are only too aware of what the past year has meant. You are also aware of the critical role played by social prescribing and the role it will continue to play. The world really is a changed place and things we thought were interim measures are now becoming the way we work. After the international conference earlier this month, we are already thinking about what format will allow the most inclusive approach for 2022, bearing in mind we don't know what the next year will bring.
Our newsletter today is very research and report focussed - the network loves to promote published research and reports to the social prescribing community as well as opportunities to have your say in ongoing research studies, so read below for several opportunities.
We are really delighted to share with you the conference video from Yessica Alvarez from Public Health England, which explains why a caring role should be classed as a social determinant of health. The research literature has existed for many years detailing the burden that is caring for another person, whether paid or unpaid, and this has come to the fore during the pandemic.
As a network we are delighted that PHE is now doing more to acknowledge the issue of carer burden and get more people talking about it.
If you are reading this and are not already signed up to the social prescribing network, please sign up here for free to be part of our grassroots movement.
Happy Social Prescribing and thank you for all you do,
Marie
Co-Chair, Social Prescribing Network
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Caring as Social Determinant of Health Report
New PHE report about Caring as a social determinant of health released.
The report shows that there is evidence that carers experience worse health than non-carers, suggesting that unpaid caring responsibilities should be considered a social determinant of health.
Other key points include:
- Carers experience poor physical and mental health, and also have unmet care needs themselves
- Different groups of carers may have different support needs
- There is a lack of clear and robust evidence about how best to support people caring for older populations, and gaps in evidence on key outcomes
- A tool to evaluate the impact of carer interventions is proposed, including ‘access enablers’ as key to ensure carers are connected with relevant services and interventions, including social prescribing
Our steering group member, Tim Anfilogoff, Head of Community Resilience at Herts CCG, who is a trustee of Carers UK says:
"I'm really excited to see this report confirm what I think I’ve often seen in my career. Carer health is really vulnerable. Ongoing stress, often unrelieved by breaks, lack of choice about how to live your life, worse financial situations, less access to leisure time and exercise than their peers – all contribute to the risk of anxiety, depression and musculoskeletal problems as the annual GP survey shows. Carers often don’t prioritise their own health and miss appointments because they can’t get care for their loved one. So it is incredibly helpful to have this report commissioned by PHE from Newcastle University. This should help us ensure that PCNs and the 1500 LWs in England don’t forget carers in their practice and think about them in their work on Population Health Management going forwards. We need to make sure carers – especially those who may not even see themselves as such – get access to the support that is available.’"
Click anywhere on the image below to watch the full conference presentation from Jessica Alvarez from the Life Course and Health Inequalities team at Public Health England that led to the reports conclusions.
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Pop-up Institute for Social Prescribing’s latest report
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How is the cultural sector involved in social prescribing for older people – Survey for link workers.
We are seeking the views and experiences of anyone in a link worker type role in the UK. We are looking at how the cultural sector might be involved in social prescribing for older people (aged 60 and older), especially within the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Even if you don’t currently refer or direct older people to venues like public gardens, libraries or museums, we would still be interested in capturing your opinions.
Involvement will mean completing a short online questionnaire. It will take about 10 minutes to fill out and is open until 7th May 2021. To access the questionnaire, please click on this link.
This study has been approved by the University of Oxford’s Central University Research Ethics Committee. For more information about the study, please contact the Stephanie Tierney at the Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford.
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ACCORD Social Prescribing study invitation
Researchers at the University of South Wales and the Wales School for Social Prescribing Research (WSSPR) are running a study to develop an evaluation framework and reporting standards for social prescribing.
The researchers would like to invite you to engage in three online activities over the next two months. The purpose of the exercise is to move towards a consensus position on what good evaluation practice should include for social prescribing.
The study will be run online using software called Group Wisdom and it will involve a brainstorming exercise, followed by grouping and rating activities all related to the topic. Each activity will last no more than 20-30 minutes and you can start and come back to the activity when you have some free time.
Please indicate your interest in participating in this study by emailing wsspr@southwales.ac.uk
Best wishes,
Prof Carolyn Wallace & Megan Elliott
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Social Care Wales - Survey
The implementation of the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014 has meant very significant changes in the way social services are planned, commissioned and delivered. The Act places a duty on local authorities to promote social enterprises, co-operatives, user-led services and the third sector to deliver care and support and preventative services for adults, children, young people, carers, their families and communities.
Social Care Wales would be grateful if you could review and complete this brief online survey by clicking here.
The survey will take between 5-10 minutes to complete. The data captured in the survey will inform further work in supporting local authorities to promote social enterprises, co-operatives, user-led services and the third sector to deliver care and support and preventative services.
Thank you
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New London Social Prescribing portal launched
A new website – commissioned by the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan – has launched to promote the vital work of charities and community groups in delivering non-clinical health and wellbeing support to Londoners.
socialprescribinglondon.uk is primarily aimed at VCSE organisations, and provides information and resources to help them expand and play their vital role as part of the London social prescribing system. It also provides a platform to publicise and expand their services, helps the public and healthcare professionals to find VCSE support services in their local borough, and provides a gateway into volunteering services across London too.
Simply Connect - specialists in supporting the voluntary and community sector to deliver on social prescribing – were commissioned to design and deliver this new resource.
Founder and Managing Director of Simply Connect, Sirinda Bhandal says,
“It’s really important that this portal champions the great work of the VCSE sector, and their role as an equal partner in social prescribing. We really hope the case studies help to bring this to life. Going forwards we hope to build on this amazing resource to help achieve the Mayor of London’s commitment to social prescribing and to support the voluntary and community sector.”
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