Social prescribing- a good use of resources?

I don't really understand how this sort of thing would work. A doctor could always suggest that a patient go for a walk in the country, or join a knitting group, but that doesn't need a 'scheme' behind it.

If the activities are supervised they would sound to me more like community service than anything, and I would personally hate to be 'sent' to something like that.

A slimming group or exercise class run by the surgery is a different matter, but I don't get the feeling that this is what is being discussed.

I assume that if the patient agreed they would go to the canal trust, wherever it was to join a group enjoying themselves there, probably helping with work needed there or taking part in organised activties.

Many people will not go for a walk,especially alone, just because they are told to, nor just join a knitting group.

Doodlebug no one would be sent on such an activity if they really didn't want to do it.

Lonely,isloated or depressed people have often lost confidence in their social skills. being told to join a specific activity at a specific time and place where they will be expected maya be enough to get them going.

Yes, that's true. Maybe the 'being expected' thing might spur people on who might otherwise be nervous about going alone.

I don't know anything about the canal project, but I do know something about a community allotment project, which a friend has been running for a couple of years.

There are three paid employees (not all full-time) and a site which was bought by the local council. The trust has now received a number of grants, one of which I believe came from the local health service.

Volunteers are referred by social services, GPs, the probationary service and local mental health charities. I believe there are currently about 100 volunteers on the books, who all work for variable hours throughout the week. There's always a queue of people who want to join.

They produce enough to provide some local charities and foodbanks with fresh produce and are allowed to share out and take home any surplus.

The benefits are that people gain social skills from working together and useful gardening skills. Loneliness can itself be a health risk. They are doing physical work, so their fitness improves. Additionally, local charities receive good quality fresh produce. People feel they are doing something useful, which of course they are. I don't know if it's been quantified, but I wouldn't mind betting that some of these people go to the GP less for depression. Having a tangible scheme is so much better than being told by the GP to get out more and get more exercise. It's win/win all round.

Ro60

In principle yes, get people interacting, feeling they are needed/ wanted & of value.
Opportunities to form new freindships.
Teaches new skills which if they wanted, could lead to employment.
But where exactly would the £50,000 go? How would it be used?

The scheme my friend runs has three paid employees. They also have to pay things like insurance in case anybody has an accident an security, in case anybody wants to steal equipment or growing produce (a big problem). They also pay water rates and for new equipment, green houses, sheds etc plus seeds and new trees. They also pay for broadband and phone expenses for the person who organises the rotas. I'm sure there's more that I've forgotten about. It all works out to a few hundred pounds per person helped but that can be set against the cost of GP appointments, counselling and medication. Some of the people involved have a prison record, so it possibly stops some of them re-offending and I know that when things get back to normal, the idea is to train people to take up paid gardening jobs, so it saves on retraining.

Growstuff thanks for your response & explanation.
Your local community allotment project sounds amazing.

I think there should be more projects like yours but it can be too easy for the ££ to be mis-used.

As you say, the benefits are huge but not always analysed across different services.

This isn’t anything new. In my area we have a large community garden / activities centre/ nature reserve which is. a registered charity and is funded from local boroughs, mental health and dementia charities. People with significant mental illnesses and early onset dementia are referred by health professionals. There are several employees who have health care backgrounds, plus several volunteers. This garden has been featured several times on TV including Gardeners’ World. There are ongoing studies as to the health and economic benefits, but all the evidence points to beneficial effects of the garden and the other activities on offer to the co workers ( as the beneficiaries are called) in terms of reduction in hospitalisation, drug use, increase in well being and so on. GPs in the area are involved in the scheme, indeed a local GP is chair of the Trustees. Such initiatives should be encouraged.,

Thank you for your responses!