Social Prescribing in Scotland

What does social prescribing mean? 

Social prescribing is one approach delivered in different settings and scenarios to support people in accessing a variety of services and activities to improve their mental health and wellbeing. It is often described as a social situation to social determinants of life to improve health and wellbeing where clinical medical treatment is not needed.  

Social prescribing in Scotland – Why is it significant? 

In 2020 the Health and Sport Committee in Scotland presented a report on the benefits of national social prescribing in Scotland. They stated social prescribing was a keyway in finding solutions to the objectives Scotland were looking to achieve including reducing inequalities, preventing illnesses, and promoting better health.  

During this report Macdonald stated embracing social prescribing was key to achieving a preventative approach but acknowledged the importance of learning from other places to find a central conclusion on best practice. Their initial request was for the expenditure of social prescribing in every integration to be 5% of the authority’s budget.  

After further discussions on the budget and negotiations, the World Health Organisation (WHO) welcomed Active Scotland (Scotland’s Physical Activity Delivery Plan) as a great example of a systems-based approach working across sectors. From this point Scotland has been recognised as one of WHO’s forerunners in responding to its global action plan on physical activity which encompasses social prescribing.  

Social prescribing examples from Scotland – Access Elemental’s customers 

There are many examples of good practice of social prescribing across Scotland as their networks continue growing.  

1. SPRING Social Prescribing  

SPRING social prescribing is one of Access Elemental’s longest customers. It has 10 project areas around Scotland and provides social prescribing services in Northern Ireland too. Both Scotland and Northern Ireland came 1st and 2nd place in the National Association Link Worker Awards in 2020.  

They are seen as the forerunners of social prescribing in Scotland and work hard to support and encourage the culture shift to the social model of health from the medical model we are all used to. SPRING social prescribing makes a difference to patients, primary care, and communities, by delivering better health outcomes for people and their society.  

They work with 154 GP practices and 23 community partners across Scotland and Northern Ireland. Their wellbeing hub offering online support to website users offers videos to watch to help people improve mental health and wellbeing from gardening and embracing green social prescribing, to the stepping stones to wellness.  

2. Lorn and Oban Healthy Options  

Healthy Options is a Scottish social prescribing project based in the West coast of Scotland. It aims to empower clients to understand changes they can make to improve their health and well-being. They use a variety of services including exercise classes, educational sessions, and 1-1 specialist support to accommodate to all individuals’ needs and help them improve their health and wellbeing. 

Healthy Options offers two services ADAPT and THRIVE. ADAPT is a 12-week specialist programme which aims to help clients learn skills and coping strategies to improve both their health and wellbeing, as well as their quality of life whilst living with a long-term condition.

In February 2022 both Access Elemental Social Prescribing and Healthy Options launched THRIVE together. THRIVE is a self-referral tool which helps people requiring minimal support in adopting healthy behaviours to improve their wellbeing.  

For more information on the work Healthy Options do and its impact on Scottish social prescribing read and discover their social prescribing case study. 

Further Social prescribing examples from Scotland 

There are many examples of good practice of social prescribing across Scotland as their networks continue growing.  

1. Healthy Connection, Stewarty 

Healthy Connection’s aim was to improve individual health and wellbeing to reduce inequalities. Their initial plan was brought forward in 2011 when they established their social prescribing plan to ensure users learnt about good mental health. This plan was implemented in 2013 with a great response leading to a wider roll-out. 

Why was it successful? 

• They recognised the time spent planning was crucial to achieve their aim. 

• Building relationships both locally and nationally from the start was beneficial to have connections to various organisations.  
• Involving partners from the beginning built the working relationship further as both parties could easily identify the progress being made.  
• They were aware that the culture shift towards social prescribing may take time and catered for that to achieve maximum outcomes.

2. My Wellbeing – Dundee City Council  

My Wellbeing was an additional section added onto the Dundee City Council website to increase knowledge and access to local services. This was created as a directory for Social Prescribing Link Workers to allow a huge network of contacts to signpost clients to.  

To increase the uptake of their services further, they utilised networks that already existed to promote the concept such as contacting youth groups and exercise classes. 

Dundee City Council also created online training name 'Mind Yer Head' which helped establish the My Wellbeing page further so more social prescribing link workers would use their contact list.  

Why was it successful? 

• Dundee City Council understood planning was essential to get this to work and for Link Workers to use it for their work.  
• When resources were scarce, they acknowledged this issue and found solutions to still be established within the community. 
• From the start they established and maintained good relationships with organisations to continue growing the contact list.  

Social prescribing in Scotland – the Covid-19 impact  

Like across the world Scotland suffered during Covid – 19. The increased loneliness during isolation was ever growing and the need for social prescribing was needed more and more. 

A study in 2021 researched the impacts of social prescribing in urban and rural areas of Scotland during the pandemic. They interviewed 23 stakeholders including: GPs, local authorities, and Link Workers at the beginning of the pandemic and 10 months later. The results showed the shift to delivering online was challenging and demanding with priorities constantly changing as regulations changed.  

• Western Isles of Scotland had digital supporting roles  
• Rural and urban areas of Scotland were combatting loneliness and isolation.  

During Covid- 19 it was recorded between 25% to 50% of GP appointments were focused on non-medical issues. Social prescribing was seen as vital in improving the post-pandemic mental health of the country and continues to do so by catering and understanding that different areas of Scotland have different needs and require different levels of support.  

What has been Access Elemental Social Prescribing’s impact in Scotland? 

Since we have started working with Scottish social prescribing projects, we have provided help to some of the biggest projects in the country and have helped them to lead the way to promoting the importance of social prescribing.  

• Our software integrates with Vision clinical systems used by 22 GPs making referrals easier 
• Our software integrates with EVOC Red Book – Edinburgh's HSCPS Directory of Services to help advertise you service and increase referrals 
• Our Software works with Aliss to make it easier for customers to find social prescribing services local to them 

This article has explained why social prescribing in Scotland is important and has demonstrated how the use of multiple digital technologies retain central aims of social prescribing.  

Scotland using digital social prescribing platforms have helped them lead the way and present evidence for social prescribing. By providing integrations to Vision clinical systems, and a range of measurement tools it means referrals can be made quickly and easier and outcomes can be tracked, monitored, and specialised to the specific needs of the client to really help them with what matters to them and their social prescribing journey. To discover more about what The Access Group offers in Scotland watch our webinar today and find out how we are supporting local governments across Scotland today. 

Access Elemental Social Prescribing offers great information and guidance on the benefits of digital social prescribing and how they provide great solutions to maintain efficiency and continuous growth as the demand increases. 

Discover our social prescribing software to see how we can work together to make a difference and positively impact our communities.