What is Social Prescribing?
Social Prescribing supports you to take control of your own health, make positive lifestyles changes and decide what you would like to do to feel healthier. The service is here to listen to you and connect you with opportunities in the community that might help you to feel better. This could include supporting you with things like managing your stress, loneliness, finding social groups, learning new skills, physical activity or getting information on employment, benefits, housing and legal advice.

How it works:
After your GP or nurse has suggested the service, you will be invited to an appointment with a Link Worker who will:
- Explore what is important to you in your life and your current wellbeing 
- Identify the local activities or services that you can benefit from 
- Gain support and encouragement to start using services that can help you 
The appointment will be at your GP surgery and can last up to 45 minutes. At the end of the appointment, you and your Link Worker will discuss what support you might need in the future.
We will keep in contact with you after the appointment in case you need further support.

A few things to know:
This service is for those aged 18 years and above, however we can still provide support to parents of children under 18 by referring to the appropriate organisation.

Follow up appointments are available to provide ongoing support.

We can offer additional support to access the service (e.g. translators) upon request.

We are not able to fill in benefits forms (e.g. Universal Credit, Employment Support Allowance, Personal Independence Payments etc.) but can signpost to places that can support you with this.

We are separate to Social Services and are not designed for crisis situations.