The Worcestershire Association of Carers' Social Prescribing Team helps different people in different ways, but it always starts with a conversation and an opportunity to explore what is important to people with regards to their life and mental wellbeing.
A Social Prescriber can help individuals identify solutions through signposting and advice.
In early spring, the team ran face-to-face sessions for current patients who were under their care. This programme ran over the course of three months, from February to April, on the last Tuesday and Thursday. The sessions were held at the Emmanuel United Reformed and Methodist Church in the Ecumenical Centre upstairs, where food and drinks are served.
The drop-in sessions gave patients an opportunity to be in a relaxing social setting, grab a coffee, and potentially connect with other locals. What's more, the social prescribing team also hired a separate room that they could use with patients who wanted to speak more privately.
We sat down with two members of the wider social prescribing team, Nicola and Fahima, to find out more.
What has been the best highlight so far from these sessions?
Getting out into the community is always a positive thing. It enables us to promote the Social Prescribing service and connect with people who may not be aware the service exists. The Ecumenical Centre is a vibrant community hub and it was great to interact with service users there and hear their stories and find out what the community needs are at the moment.
My personal highlight so far has been speaking to a gentleman who was currently signed off from work whilst undergoing Chemotherapy treatment. He was missing the social contact from his workplace. On the days he felt well he felt quite isolated and didn’t know what to do with himself. He came to the drop-in and simply asked ‘What is out there for me to do?’ We listened as he shared his interests and were able to put a pack of information together, introducing him to such activities as Worcestershire Health Walks, walking sports clubs, the community shed, Ahead of Wellbeing and the local U3A society. He emailed me a few days later to thank me for the information we’d provided and shared how much he had enjoyed a health walk around Arrow Valley Lake. He’d also accessed the Action for Happiness App and was finding the daily mindfulness and meditation sessions beneficial to stay positive on the days he didn’t feel so good during treatment. It’s always lovely to hear feedback from patients and see proof that our service is having a positive impact on their lives.
What has been the response from the patients who have visited you at the church?
Very positive. It allowed some proactive patients to access support quicker and get the information they needed in an informal, convenient setting.
So many people in our local community are lonely and isolated so it was great to be able to chat with people, listen to their stories and help them identify ways to make positive changes. By sharing ideas and signposting them to activities and organisations that were relevant to them, we’ve hopefully helped them feel better about themselves and their future.
What are your hopes for future sessions?
It would be great to team up with community partners and run more targeted drop-in sessions. Bringing patients together with similar social stress factors would not only allow for some peer support interaction but also allow them to get in the moment, expert advice from local support agencies. Themes for such events could be Debt advice, Emotional / Mental Health, Lifestyle, Autism support, combatting loneliness and isolation, learning & employment.
What type of person would benefit from being referred to social prescribers?
Anyone over 18 struggling with social, emotional or practical issues who want to make positive changes in their lives but don’t know where to start. We see a lot of people who are lonely and isolated or stuck in a troublesome situation that they don’t feel they can move forward from. By listening, understanding their needs and connecting them to relevant information and support services we can help them see how they can meet their own needs better and live a more fulfilled life.
Find out how you can get in touch with a social prescriber.
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