Social prescribing programme could lead to 4.5 million fewer GP appointments per year, according to new analysis by NASP

New academic summaries of the evidence on social prescribing, also released today, show that social prescribing can have a positive impact on a wide range of outcomes, including reducing loneliness and improving wellbeing and mental health.

Today – Social Prescribing Day – The National Academy for Social Prescribing (NASP) is releasing new evidence summaries from its academic partners, alongside additional analysis.

NASP’s analysis estimates that NHS England’s social prescribing link worker programme can reduce GP appointments by 4.5 million per year.* In addition, NASP’s academic partners have concluded, after looking at the evidence, that social prescribing can improve the mental health and wellbeing of participants.**

Together the evidence summaries and analysis indicate that social prescribing is not only an effective way of helping people access community support, but can also reduce pressure on the NHS, in real terms.

By 2023/24 a full cohort of 4,500 link workers across England will have been employed by the NHS to help provide a more comprehensive approach to wellbeing, bridging the gap between health and social care.

It is generally estimated that one in five GP appointments are made for essentially non-medical reasons*** – like loneliness, isolation or debt. Link workers are able to spend time with patients and to understand the physical, financial or social problems which might be having a knock-on effect on their health. Once they have a fuller picture of their unique circumstances, they can then ‘prescribe’ appropriate support and activities provided in their community.

NASP’s analysis, a forecast drawing on the findings of one of the new academic reviews of existing evidence, suggests that the full roll-out of NHS England’s link worker programme could lead to 4.5 million fewer GP appointments in England per year.

Dr Radha Modgil, a practicing NHS GP, Ambassador Lead at NASP, and media broadcaster has experience of the impact link workers can have on both patients and for clinicians in busy GP surgeries.

She said: “Social prescribing enables clinicians to signpost people to a link worker who can be best placed to listen, spend time and work with them to find out what matters to them. As a broadcaster who advocates for wellbeing, I know the impact that connection and community can have on how people feel, especially for their mental and emotional wellbeing. Social prescribing really is the revolution in healthcare and wellbeing that we have needed for a long time - something we have forgotten about but is innately beneficial for us.”

The evidence summaries also identified a range of positive impacts on participants which may also be behind the decline in need for GP appointments. These concluded that social prescribing can lead to improvements in wellbeing, mental health and social connections, and reduce loneliness.

Brendan, who has been taking part in social prescribing activities run by The Heeley Trust in Sheffield, is able to shed light on the story behind the research and how social prescribing improves his wellbeing.

Brendan cares for his mum who was diagnosed with dementia a few years ago. It was when she was socially prescribed a workshop for people with her condition that he ended up speaking to link worker about his own health. After talking a bit about his struggles he was prescribed a creative workshop for men, run by a local artist. He said: “I’m not usually a creative person but I enjoy having a go at things. The difference the group made to my mum is incredible, so I thought something like that might be good for me too.

“The creative workshops are brilliant. They put me at ease. It’s made me realise how important these services are.”

Maxine Bowler, Link Worker at The Heeley Trust, said: “I believe that link workers absolutely have the ability to reduce pressure on GPs. Doctors have such a small amount of time to talk to patients, whereas we are able to sit with them and get to the bottom of what troubles them, whatever that may be.

For people like Brendan, it can be quite isolating caring for someone, so these sessions can be a fantastic way of speaking to people in similar situations and taking time to care for yourself.” 

James Sanderson, CEO of NASP, said: “This research demonstrates what we have long known to be true at NASP, that social prescribing has the ability to improve both the health of our country and the capacity of the NHS. Thanks to the many fantastic link workers already embedded in our communities, people have access to more personalised care. This evidence shows, in real terms, the extent of what social prescribing can achieve.”

To read the full Evidence Review Document Click Here