Register: Faith and Social Prescribing launch event

June 18, 2024

Social care services and the NHS are under extreme pressure and experiencing a crisis. We read on the news that whole towns are struggling to access GP appointments, and waiting lists for mental health services continue to grow.

For those lucky enough to get a GP appointment, 1 in 5 patients have a problem that is not clinical, but social. This means it can't be solved by medicine alone; community and relationships need to be part of the solution. This is where social prescribing comes in. Social prescribers help patients by referring them to local community activities to tackle the social and relational needs causing the problem.

Churches and faith groups have been "doing social prescribing" for centuries, providing social and spiritual care to improve wellbeing. But it's not always easy for local faith groups to engage with the NHS' social prescribers, or vice versa. Why? And what can we do about it?

Our research with Theos looks at the opportunities, barriers, and potential impact of engaging faith groups in social prescribing.

This event is for anyone interested in increasing the links between faith and social prescribing. It would benefit local ministry or church leaders, local link workers, or anyone with a brief to increase faith and community engagement in delivering primary care. Alongside sharing the findings of our research, we will talk through our 'How To Guides' which help local churches and local link workers take the practical next steps to better collaboration.

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