On July 20th a HSE Social Prescribing Framework was launched via a webinar by Minister Frank Feighan, Minister of State with responsibility for Public Health, Well Being and National Drugs Strategy. The Framework supports the development of social prescribing within the HSE, outlines its key elements and provides guidance to enhance partnerships with the community and voluntary sector in order to best meet the needs of service users. The launch of the framework marks a significant milestone in the development of social prescribing in Ireland.
The problems of social isolation, fear and loneliness have negative consequences for health and can particularly impact older age groups, those with chronic health problems, people with mental health difficulties and psychosocial needs, carers, single parents, migrant and immigrant and minority ethnic groups. The impact of Covid 19 has heightened these experiences for people of all ages especially those already experiencing difficulties in their lives. Social prescribing began as a community-led movement that seeks to address these challenges in a holistic way using the many assets and supports in communities by empowering participants to improve their health & wellbeing.
Social prescribing is a means of enabling healthcare professionals and other professionals to refer a person to a Social Prescribing Link Work who supports people to avail of a range of local services, primarily provided by the community and voluntary sector. Examples include volunteering, arts activities, gardening, dog walking, cookery and a range of physical activities and hobby groups. They may also link people back into HSE programmes and services for example Diabetes Support courses, Living Well programme, Stress prevention programmes or Smoking Cessation services.
The development of social prescribing in Ireland has primarily been driven by the Community and Voluntary Sector, in partnership with health services. Social prescribing services are now being delivered in 30 locations around the country by community-based organisations such as Local Development Companies and Family Resource Centres, supported by the HSE, Sláintecare, and Healthy Ireland.
Philip Crowley, National Director of Strategy and Research, HSE said at the launch that “social prescribing is one of the key initiatives which is part of the newly established Healthy Communities Programme. This area-based approach to community health and wellbeing is targeting areas of disadvantage commencing this year in 19 communities across the country and will expand further over the next two years. The Social Prescribing Framework launched today is therefore very timely and provides a road map for the future expansion of social prescribing within the health service in partnership with Community and Voluntary organisations”.
According to Anne Sheridan, Programme Manager Mental Health & Wellbeing “Social prescribing can be the catalyst that helps a person take that first step in regaining control to help them get back into the driving seat of their life. Once they have embarked on that journey other opportunities become possible that can have a profound positive impact on their health and wellbeing”.
The recorded webinar is available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJbRgrWPfUY and includes inputs and testimonials from a range of stakeholders involved in social prescribing including a social prescribing link worker, a GP and a range of service users. The webinar also included a panel discussion involving HSE stakeholders and other partners discussing the role of the framework and the implementation of social prescribing within the HSE in collaboration with community & voluntary organisations.
Link to the HSE Social Prescribing Framework https://tinyurl.com/6nvmtdp6
For further information contact [email protected].
