Social Prescribing

What Social Prescribing is

Social Prescribing is a non-medical service based in all GP surgeries. Your social prescriber is there to talk about what matters to you and support you to make a plan through shared decision making to find further support and help you reach your health and wellbeing goals. The support is personalised to you.

This is including but not limited to:

• accessing weight management support
• stopping smoking
• meeting new people or trying new activities
• budgeting
• sleep
• bereavement
• stress management
• housing
• staying independent at home
• caring for loved ones

How to access your Social Prescriber

You can access your Social Prescriber by contacting your GP surgery and asking for an appointment (for example, self referral).

Alternatively, a member of staff at your surgery may recommend Social Prescribing alongside your medical appointments (for example, heath checks) and can arrange an appointment.

You do not need to see a GP to make a social prescribing appointment. Any member of staff can do this for you.

How it works

Appointments can either be face to face or telephone.

Your first appointment can be between 45-60 minutes to give you time and a safe space to talk about what support you require, and your goals for change.

Your Social Prescriber will personalise your support plan based on your preferences, needs and what matters to you.

If needed, you can arrange follow up appointments with Social Prescribers to build and grow this support plan as you start to make changes and link in with different services.

Once you feel you have reached your goals, or you are confident in the plan created with the support of your social prescriber and no longer need their support, you can be discharged from the service. If your situation changes, or you require a further appointment, you can contact your social prescriber via the GP surgery and request a further appointment.

Social Prescribers are there to listen and offer a personalised approach to your support through signposting and referring to specific services based on your agreed goals. Sometimes it can be difficult to know where to start, social prescribers are there to help.

Further information on Social Prescribing

You can find more details and case studies on the NHS Social Prescribing information page

Alternative Solutions are a provider of social prescribing in Cheshire East.

If you would like to raise awareness of this service you can download and print the Social Prescribing Poster (PDF, 452KB)

Page last reviewed: 08 July 2024