Table 1 Summary of CLAHRC/ARC NWC Social Prescribing projects included in the learning exchange workshop
Project | Target Population | Primary Discourse [14] | Description | Evaluation | Service Model |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Adults with low-level mental health needs | Person-centredness | A 14-week supported intervention to reduce loneliness and social isolation | Approach: Mixed methods Outcomes: Loneliness, isolation and wellbeing | Link worker plus (community connector and volunteer community champions) | |
2 | Adults with experience of neurological trauma | Social determinants | Integrated multi-agency inpatient drop-in service set up to support the socioeconomic needs of patients | Approach: Mixed methods pre- and post- intervention evaluation Outcomes: Stress and anxiety | Service hub |
Adults experiencing and recovering from mental distress | Self-activation | Community hub-based service offering support to people with mental distress on their recovery journey | Approach: Mixed methods Outcomes: Individual recovery and use of clinical services | Service hub and link worker | |
Adults living with Motor Neurone Disease (MND) | Person-centeredness | Pilot project to identify community-based activities to support psychological wellbeing for people with MND | Approach: Qualitative Outcomes: Participants’ experience of the project and their thoughts about whether and how community-based activities could benefit people living with MND | Link worker plus (link worker and occupational therapist) | |
5 | Women aged 18 and over in early stages of pregnancy | Self-activation | Pilot project to improve access to services and psychological health and wellbeing. Comprised peer support plus leaflet about local resources | Approach: Mixed methods study comparing the intervention vs information leaflet only Outcomes: Acceptability of the intervention, uptake of community and health resources, feelings of support, psychological health and wellbeing, feelings about their baby | Link worker plus (link worker and peer volunteers) |
6 | Young people aged 14 to 24 years with mental health difficulties | Self-activation | Integrated approach providing community-based social, psychological and health support for young people and their families | Approach: Mixed methods Outcomes: Access, engagement and mental health of young people | Resource/service hub and link worker (information, advice and guidance worker) |
7 [30] | Adults with health and debt problems | Social determinants | GP-practice based initiative to reduce non-medical presentations by providing debt advice | Approach: Quantitative Outcomes: Various, including income maximisation and self-reported wellbeing | Case worker (debt advice service) |
8 | Adults | Self-activation | Proposed intervention mapping social networks of service users using an online tool and linking them with individualised local resources | N/A – it was not possible to implement the proposed intervention | Link worker |