Our mission is to educate, motivate and help people make changes which enable them to live healthier lives.
"Helping people make healthy choices"
Social Prescribing
Sometimes, the answer to improving an individual’s health or wellbeing lies not in a medical prescription, but in ensuring they have company, interests and changes of scene to make them feel connected, motivated and purposeful. Or, perhaps, more exercise is needed to keep their body strong and their mind stimulated. Even if people are aware of this, they don’t always know where to start – and that’s where social prescribing comes in.
How does it work?
A member of our Social Prescribing team contacts individuals referred by their GP, or who have self-referred. They arrange to meet with the individual to discuss their needs, aspirations and preferences; then work out a plan for reaching their health goals.
Our service includes:
One-to-one meetings
Flexible appointments
Free access to a wide range of local services
Support and encouragement, to help someone find the motivation to make positive changes in their life
The opportunity to feel better, improve their knowledge of things they can do and support they can receive, and boost their confidence
Social prescribing is non-medical prescription giving the type of support that does not come in a tube or bottle.It is a formal means of supporting health care professionals to refer patients with social, emotional or practical needs to access a variety of non-clinical services.
Social prescribing has been recognised as an effective means of meeting patients’ needs due to its enhanced recognition of social, economic and cultural factors. We are trying to increase an individuals independence, their ability to self-manage and gain more autonomy and control over their health and wellbeing.
Health exchange have been delivering social prescribing projects across the midlands for a number of years. We have vast experience in creating programmes that support the needs of individuals.
Patients can self refer or are referred to us via their GP/ Healthcare professional (or any practice staff) we can support patients face to face or over the phone. The service starts with an initial assessment, where we try to understand an individuals needs, we then co create some goals and then put together an action plan of how to achieve your desired goals. Our support is tailored to each individual.
Primary Care Based
We try to be flexible to the needs of the surgery and the person all we need is a room and a regular day for us to come and see your patients on site, this can be a whole day or half a day depending on patient engagement
Community Based
We work with Libraries and community venues who allow us to deliver the service to you at time and place more suited you.
Click on one of the boxes below to find out more about our Social Prescribing services in those areas:
