NHS Property Services has refreshed its social prescribing map, to make the service more accessible, and ensure patients can easily find the most convenient location for each service.
The revised map identifies key locations that offer social prescribing initiatives.
Currently, there are over 75 community health solutions across England. These solutions transform vacant space that’s been underutilised in health centres nationally. Nationwide services such as counselling, gardening and therapy are offered through locations including designated green spaces and social prescribing hubs.
Each of the sites has been purpose-built in selected areas – such as those regions that have high health inequalities – to ensure local communities can access additional health services when they need to.
The use of social prescribing supports community, clinical and nonclinical health service providers to deliver excellent healthcare whilst at the same time reducing the burden on GP practices.
The new interactive social prescribing map from NHS Property Services provides details for each site, making it easy for patients to locate the service they need.
Rhea Horlock, head of corporate social responsibility for NHS Property Services, said: “We want to ensure communities have access to quality healthcare when they need it, and we aim to make these services more accessible and convenient.
“Our refreshed social prescribing map identifies all our sites where we have minimised vacant space and facilitated community health programmes. We will continue to identify where we can develop more social prescribing programmes that communities across the country can access.”
Social prescribing initiatives have already made a real difference within local communities, including success stories such as Combat2Coffee, Age UK and Men’s Shed.
Last year, Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust was the first organisation to go live with an integrated health and social care solution that allows mental health professionals to refer patients to social prescribing solutions provided by The Life Rooms, directly through the EPR.