Through the Caversham PCN, we now employ a Social Prescribing link worker. This is a relatively new role to the NHS.
Social Prescribing can:
- Support patients who present with non-medical issues
- Offer non-medical support to patients with health conditions
- Identify underlying complex problems that are the root cause of multiple contacts with the practice (e.g. Poor mental health, social isolation & loneliness, financial difficulties etc.) and then connecting patients with non- medical support.
The intervention of a social prescriber can prevent crisis, reduce unnecessary hospital admissions and support sustainable changes in the patient’s life.
Patients aged 16 and over can be referred to the Social Prescriber by their GP.
Our Social Prescribing link worker is Helen Murphy
- As an educator, trustee for a mental health charity and volunteer project manager, Helen has come to realise the important role played by voluntary organisations and charities in promoting a healthy community.
- As a carer, Helen also values links to many different organisations in the community which provide information and support.
- For Helen, social prescribing is a way of improving the connectedness and therefore the health and wellbeing of every individual and promoting a thriving community.
- Helen focuses on the Caversham Primary Care Network.