SOCIAL PRESCRIBING
One Westminster established a Social Prescription Service based on residents’ social needs in April 2020, The service is now delivered by four social prescribers, working with referrals from the Community Mental Health Hubs
What is social prescribing?
Social Prescribing is a means of connecting people to the Voluntary and Community Sector to support their health and wellbeing and occasionally to navigate statutory services. Examples of social prescribing needs include;
- Debt and financial difficulties
- Loneliness and isolation
- Food poverty
- Low mood, anxiety and emotional wellbeing
Once referred, people will be connected to specialist and appropriate organisations and activities and supported to access these with equity
How social prescribing works
When a person is referred into social prescribing, a session will be arranged by the social prescriber to have an initial conversation - a space for people to share 'what matters to them'
A codesigned plan will be agreed between the person referred and the social prescriber detailing what key priorities they will address together, how often they will meet, where meetings take place - by telephone, in person, in the community and what a success may look like
The Social Prescribers work alongside people referred to improve wellbeing, offer guidance and learning opportunities that provide solutions to challenges that may arise in the future. It is hopeful that working alongside social prescribers creates an experience of empowerment
The social prescriber will offer support throughout the journey that is proportionate and appropriate to ensure people referred are connected to the right services
PATHWAYS TO REFERRAL
The One Westminster Social Prescription Service works in partnership with Central and North West London Mental Health Trust. Referrals via this route are made by mental health professionals working with people accessing support in the hubs, people can request their team to make a social prescribing referral for them, or it may be suggested by professional
If you are a Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) organisation or a professional who is involved in supporting someone in the Westminster community, please encourage the person to ask their community mental health worker to discuss permission to make a referral for them
Social prescribers advocate equity in accessing activities to enable those living with mental health diagnosis to participate and enjoy what's on offer in Westminster and within their communities
Social Prescribing in the community
One Westminster holds open door sessions, inviting all professionals in the borough to pop in for coffee and conversation
If you would like to pass by, contact Shelley Reynolds for dates on [email protected]
We would love to see you
Keep an eye for a new case study......
A QUALITY SERVICE IS ASSURED
Our Social Prescribing team is made up of trained professionals, with a range of lived and professional experiences that enable our team to remain diverse and representative of the community in Westminster
- Experienced in person-centred approaches. All our Social prescribers are trained in person-centred disciplines and trained in Trauma informed approaches
- Uses updated and quality checked resources
- Part of One Westminster - which as a CVS is an umbrella organisation for the borough’s charities – thereby giving social prescribers meaningful access to local organisations’ services.
- Able to communicate in a range of community languages, including Arabic, French and Russian
- Above all the team are dedicated and passionate, working in a relational way to improve lives and wellbeing in the communities they serve
ANNUAL REPORTS
Check out our progress over the last two years.
Contact US
For more information, follow this link to our Contact Us page and scroll down to find contact details for the SOCIAL PRESCRIBING TEAM