Excellence in Communications via Meetings

Summary of work

Social prescribing approaches can help relieve demand on the NHS by signposting patients to community support.

The initiative partners - University of Westminster and the College of Medicine - knew that different areas were using social prescribing approaches, but there was no place for practitioners to share their experiences. Nor was there a community to advocate to decision-makers what social prescribing could achieve for patients and the NHS.

With funding from the Fit For Work UK Coalition and the Wellcome Trust, the partners held an inaugural national conference. Attended by nearly 100 people, this was the catalyst for the formation of a new Social Prescribing Network. Membership of the Network has grown organically through peer-to-peer referrals to over 700, with additional regional events to bring together local advocates.

Following the launch in Parliament of the national conference report, NHS England recognised the importance of social prescribing, appointing a National Champion for Social Prescribing and providing funding to produce a national toolkit for commissioners. NHS England has also requested that social prescribing be included in all new Sustainability and Transformation Plans.

In less than a year, the partners have turned social prescribing into a national movement.

Judges' comments

This was an inventive idea that addresses a genuine need. The sincere story took us on a journey whose destination was a real change. The programme had an impressively fast turn-around, whilst also being adaptable to the needs of each stakeholder.