We employ a team of practice-based social prescribers who work in all 28 GP practices across Newcastle. Social prescribing enables GPs, nurses, and other primary care professionals to refer people to a range of local, non-clinical services to support their health and wellbeing.
a year in the life of our social prescribing team
Over the past 12 months, our social prescribing team have continued to play a pivotal role in enhancing patient well-being.
The team of link workers and counsellors is the largest in the North East region, with social prescribers in every GP practice in Newcastle, and includes a dedicated refugee and asylum seeker social prescribing team and qualified counsellors.
Across the year, our team have dealt with referrals from more than 5000 patients.
You can read some of their stories in our newly published report, ‘A year in the life of our social prescribing team‘.
What do social prescribers do?
Our team of social prescribers offer social and practical support to patients within their GP surgery or out in the community. All GP practices in Newcastle host a social prescriber who support patients with any of the following (and plenty more):
- Housing advice
- Benefits advice
- Social isolation/loneliness
- Homelessness
- Addiction
- Unemployment
- Low-level mental health and emotional support
- Aids and adaptations/care needs
HOW DO PATIENTS ACCESS OUR SERVICES?
Patients can ask at their GP practice for the support of a social prescriber. They do not need to see a GP first. If they have any non-clinical difficulties, they can ask to speak with the Social Prescriber directly.
Professionals who think social prescribing is appropriate for patient support can refer patients to us and do this through a referral form.
Several external organisations refer into our service, including the DWP, Adult Social Care (Newcastle City Council), NuTH and other secondary care services, the Salvation Army and Ways to Wellness.
We also have a team in the Social Prescribing Team dedicated to helping support Refugee and Asylum Seeker patients who have not been granted their right to remain status yet. Our RAS Link Workers are working into the currently temporary hotel accommodation sites to provide social and practical support to this patient group, helping them to better access healthcare and integrate into the community.
social prescribing clubs and groups
Our social prescribers run a wide range of clubs and groups across Newcastle, including:
- Mindfulness sessions
- Arts, music and craft groups
- Gardening – some practices have their own allotment
- Table tennis
- Healthy eating
- Community mental health hub
Get in touch with your GP practice to find out about social prescribing activities near you.
Social Prescribing aWARDS
Our service manager, Michael Waugh, won the Social Prescribing Manager of the Year award from the National Association of Link Workers in October 2020. Michael has since retired, and Jo Swift and Megan Ramsey are now the team managers.