UK: Social prescribing on the NHS (and possible implications for ME/CFS services)

[Sarah]

This thread has been created by merging several threads on social prescribing

BBC News: More 'social prescribers' to ease pressure on GPs. 28.01.19

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-46999922

The number of workers trained to prescribe social activities, like exercise groups and art classes, to GP patients who don't need pills, is set to rise, under NHS England plans.

The aim is that "link workers" will support GPs and reduce their workload.

A link worker's role is to help patients find suitable community activities to improve their health and wellbeing.

The NHS says more than 1,000 will be recruited by 2020-21.

In the long term, it wants link workers to handle around 900,000 patient appointments a year.

It is thought that a significant number of appointments at GP surgeries are not directly related to medical conditions.

Instead, many patients are anxious or lonely or need support with managing a long-term condition.

Some just need encouragement to join an exercise group and lose weight.

'Better than medicine'
James Sanderson, NHS England's director of personalised care, said 2.5 million people would benefit by 2024.

"Social prescribing is an important component of the NHS comprehensive model of personalised care and there is emerging evidence that it can lead to a range of positive health and wellbeing outcomes for people, such as improved quality of life and emotional wellbeing," he said.

"The aim is that social prescribing schemes lead to a substantial reduction in the use of NHS services, including GP attendances."

Prof Helen Stokes-Lampard, chairwoman of the Royal College of General Practitioners, said the move was "incredibly welcome".

She said ensuring that GPs have "good, easy access to people who can link patients with classes or groups in the community, which could be of more benefit than any medicine..." is something doctors have been calling for for a long time.

 

[Jonathan Edwards]

It does not fill me with confidence about the intelligence of Dr Stokes Lampard.

Is the NHS going to pay for these classes?
If you need a G to check that there is no 'medical condition' (as you do) why do you need a link worker as well?

Bleurgh,
or is it bleurrggh?

 

[MSEsperanza]

Prof Helen Stokes-Lampard, chairwoman of the Royal College of General Practitioners, said the move was "incredibly welcome".

 

[Jonathan Edwards]

You look a bit off colour @MSEsperanza, I hope it is nothing e-catching.

 

[Barry]

You look a bit off colour @MSEsperanza, I hope it is nothing e-catching.

Clearly in need of a social prescription.

 

[Suffolkres]

The patient example on the BBC did not help or inspire me with confidence!
More 'social prescribers' to ease pressure on GPs
Arif was diagnosed with pre-diabetes and joined an exercise club to lose weight

 

[MSEsperanza]

You look a bit off colour @MSEsperanza, I hope it is nothing e-catching.

Don't worry! I'm just allergic to ______ [please insert what you think that could be].

Clearly in need of a social prescription.

More socializing on S4ME might be helpful.

 

[Sarah]

Army of workers to support family doctors
NHS England: News 28 Jan 2019

An army of advisers will be recruited to help patients live fitter, healthier lives and combat anxiety, loneliness and depression under plans to ramp up social prescribing set to be launched by NHS England this week.

Around half of GP appointments are not directly related to medical conditions, according to experts.

Growing evidence shows that referrals to community services such as exercise or art classes, history groups and even ballroom dancing can boost health and wellbeing more than dishing out pills or other treatments.

Now NHS England plans to recruit 1,000 social prescribing ‘link workers’ as part of the NHS Long Term Plan. The link workers will be able to give people time to talk about what matters to them and support them to find suitable activities that are a better alternative to medication as part of a step change in the provision of ‘personalised care’.

The blueprint for Universal Personalised Care, which will also free up GPs to deal with patients who really need them, is due to approved by the NHS England Board later this week.

The NHS Long Term Plan will see GPs surgeries big and small will work to support each other in around 1,400 Primary Care Networks covering the country, with each network having access to a social prescriber link worker and NHS England agreeing to fund their salaries in full.

By 2023-24, social prescribers will be handling around 900,000 patient appointments a year.

A bit more from Prof Stokes-Lampard:

Professor Helen Stokes-Lampard, chair of the Royal College of General Practitioners, said: “Often the underlying reason a patient visits their GP is not medical, yet it can have a considerable impact on their health and wellbeing. Ensuring that GPs and our teams have good, easy access to people who can link patients with classes or groups in the community and other non-NHS services, that could potentially be of far more benefit than any medicine, is something the College has long called-for, so the focus on this is incredibly welcome.”

Matt Hancock:

Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Matt Hancock said: “Personalised care is the future and there’s growing evidence that supporting people to access community services and activities, such as chess clubs or dance classes, has the power to improve people’s health and wellbeing. For the first time ever, millions of people across the country will soon be able to access care that is truly tailored to their individual needs.

“As part of the NHS Long Term Plan, social prescribing will become an indispensable tool for GPs, who will be supported by a new army of workers. This is prevention in action and will help to combat some of the scourges of modern life, from loneliness to mental health, or over-medicalisation.”

The NHS Long Term Plan has a commitment to have 1,000 link workers in Primary Care Networks by April 2021, rising further by 2023-24, and within five years over 2.5 million more people will benefit from social prescribing, a personal health budget, and new support for managing their own health in partnership with patients’ groups and the voluntary sector.

GPs and local agencies work with patients who have multiple long term health conditions to make decisions about managing their health and care, by asking what matters to that individual, rather than just what’s wrong with them. Together, they create a personalised care and support plan that recognises the patient’s personal, social and financial circumstances can also impact their health, so connects them to care and support options in their communities alongside appropriate NHS care.

They will connect patients to community groups and agencies for practical and emotional support for a wide range of people, including those:

• with one or more long-term condition
• who need support to help with alcohol and smoking issues
• who need support with their mental health
• who are lonely or isolated
• who have complex social needs which affect their wellbeing.

 

[DokaGirl]

Good grief!

Qualifications for these helpers?

This idea is a trending thing - many around us in positions of authority are happily chirping away about their mountain climbing, marathon running, or whatever.

That's of course, to tell us and everyone else to get moving.

If only....


How can one call sending someone out to a chess club, or dance classes "personalized care"?

These helpers are just telling people to go away and find something to do.

How about getting your hair done? Two people told me that would help my illness. Maybe that activity should be included as well?

What a choice, jogging or a hair appointment....let's see...

 

[Wonko]

Personally I think going on a berserker rampage with a battle axe would be really helpful in managing my rage issues, the very same rage issues that are...enraged..when I read stories like this .

Will the NHS pay for the battle axe tho...that's the question.

 

[MSEsperanza]

Army of workers to support family doctors

Matt Hancock:
Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Matt Hancock said: “Personalised care is the future and there’s growing evidence that supporting people to access community services and activities, such as chess clubs or dance classes, has the power to improve people’s health and wellbeing. For the first time ever, millions of people across the country will soon be able to access care that is truly tailored to their individual needs.

Is it true that, in the English language, the word "patronising" has multiple meanings?

 

[Wonko]

Is it true that, in the English language, the word "patronising" has multiple meanings?

Yes. But then again so does the word 'true'.

 

[Sean]

Around half of GP appointments are not directly related to medical conditions, according to experts.

*cough*bullshit*cough*

 

[Adrian]

Professor Helen Stokes-Lampard, chair of the Royal College of General Practitioners, said: “Often the underlying reason a patient visits their GP is not medical

Around half of GP appointments are not directly related to medical conditions, according to experts.

It can take many appointments with the GP before they acknowledge a problem think about thinking about what it may be. I assume they discount the earlier visits when they dismiss patients out of hand as not directly related to medical conditions.

 

[Skycloud]

I find it helps to remember that the RCGP is also something like a trade union for GPs and looks after GPs' interests. These don't always coincide with the interests of patients. Edit to add - Shortages of GPs and the long hours many work and issues around funding mean that the RCGP would say what they said.

 

[Trish]

And futher news today:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-46994187

An army of more than 20,000 physios, pharmacists and paramedics are to be recruited in England to work alongside under-pressure GPs, NHS bosses say.

The new staff will work with GPs, taking responsibility for some of the 300 million bookings made with practices each year.

They will also provide continuing care to patients in the community.

NHS England said this should allow GPs to spend more time with the sickest patients.

 

[Trish]

One wonders where they are going to find 20,000 physios, pharmacists and paramedics...

 

[chrisb]

One report, a couple of days ago, suggested that they would be able to prescribe golf, presumably only to overworked executives. Wasn't sure whether this was itended to improve the prospects of seeing some consultants. Or have those days gone?

 

[Skycloud]

One wonders where they are going to find 20,000 physios, pharmacists and paramedics...

From the same place they were going to be finding all the extra GPs and nurses that they promised...

Funny how there's no magic money tree but there is apparently a magic tree for doctors and other healthworkers.

 

[Trish]

Funny how there's no magic money tree but there is a magic tree for doctors and other healthworkers.

I think this is about saving money, not spending more. It costs a fortune to train and employ a GP. Far more than the other professions they are proposing we see instead.