Social Prescribing: Can a PersonCentered Approach Also Benefit the Community?

Social prescribing is an evolving approach to addressing health and social problems. A number of countries have implemented social prescribing schemes to reduce reliance on healthcare systems and decrease the medicalization of the social reasons for ill health. Social prescribing commonly involves referral to non-clinical or community-based activities by connecting people to groups, organizations or activities in their local area and supporting them to take greater control of their own health. Social prescribing aims to take a holistic view of the person and acknowledges that health and well-being are influenced by a complex interplay of physical, psychological, and social factors. It involves a guided conversation about “what matters to you” between an individual and a social prescriber (sometimes called a link worker, community connector, or well-being advisor). This conversation focuses on issues and goals that are a priority for the individual seeking support. This chapter will explore how far social prescribing’s focus on the individual, through person-centered care and strengths approaches, can also lead to benefits for the wider community. By focusing on the example of the National Health Service (NHS) roll out of social prescribing in primary care in England, we examine the evidence showing the opportunities and challenges to a model of social prescribing incorporating both person-centered care and community well-being.