Social Prescribing Model for Cheshire and Merseyside
Aim
Developing an integrated commissioning model for social prescribing that can be implemented in
Cheshire & Merseyside in 2015. The Social Prescribing commissioning model would establish social
prescribing as integral to a treatment pathway from prevention to maintenance and recovery and
scale-up its provision.
What is social prescribing?
Social prescribing is a mechanism for linking people to non-medical sources of psychosocial and/ or
practical support within the community. This can include arts, books, exercise, learning, befriending,
volunteering, supported self-help as well as information and advice, e.g. debt, employment,
domestic violence, relationship breakdown, legal advice.
Why is it beneficial?
Potential outcomes of social prescribing include:
Increased self-reported mental wellbeing and life satisfaction
Increased social contact
Increased uptake of activities and skills in protecting mental health
Reduced symptoms of distress
Reduction in waiting lists for psychological interventions
Reduced frequent attenders
Reduction in inappropriate prescribing
Increase in range of voluntary and community providers and patient choice
Integration of commissioning
Social prescribing is usually described as a preventative service for those with sub-clinical, low
wellbeing and aligned to Step 1 of the NICE stepped care approach. However social prescribing can
be used as an adjunct to clinical treatments and a beneficial part of wellbeing maintenance and
recovery for patients at Steps 2, 3 and 4.
Step 1 preventative programmes have largely been commissioned by public health teams, aligned to
the overarching aims of improving population wellbeing. The benefits as indicated above make social
prescribing relevant for the commissioners and providers of the higher intensity Steps 2, 3 and 4.
The Recovery approach adopted by many mental health trusts often mirrors the social prescribing
offer for higher intensity patients.
Suite 1, Marwood, Riverside Park, 1 Southwood Road, Bromborough, Wirral CH62 3QX
Tel: 0151 666 5123 www.champspublichealth.com
This project provides the opportunity to explore an integrated approach to commissioning and one
that includes the contribution from service users and the community, voluntary and faith sectors in
addition to the Local Authority (LA) and Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs).
Project Objectives
 Insight into primary care knowledge, practice, barriers and challenges in utilising and scalingup social prescribing.
 Insight into potential scaling-up of usage via community programmes, particularly for those
who do not access primary care for wellbeing support.
 Identification of models of practice
 Developing a convincing business case for the proposed model
Project Outcomes
 An integrated commissioning model for social prescribing that has the flexibility to be
implemented in all nine local authorities on Cheshire & Merseyside in 2015
 A scaling-up of the provision of social prescribing programmes
 An accelerated shift in the improved mental wellbeing of the sub-regional population
 Proportionately less demand on the upper tiers of mental health services
Project Framework
Champs, the public health collaborative service, and the Cheshire Merseyside Strategic Clinical
Network (CMSCN) will jointly lead the project. A project team will be identified from key
stakeholders including the CCGs, the LA public health teams, the community & voluntary sector,
service user and community member representation, the Mental Health Trusts, IAPT services and
community providers.
Desk-top exercise
A. National evidence-base of effectiveness of social prescribing
B. Wellbeing data for Cheshire and Merseyside compiled
C. Information on Social Prescribing interventions and models across Cheshire and Merseyside
D. National examples of social prescribing models
Field exercise
E. Building the Economic Case for scaling-up social prescribing
F. Support built for the project and key stakeholders identified
G. Key stakeholders invited onto project steering group
H. Project Implementation Document co-produced
I. Project Implementation
J. Development of an integrated commissioning model for social prescribing
K. Securing commissioning
Timeline
9 months
Phases A- D completed
Phase E
Phase F –H
Phase I
Phase J
Phase K
April 30th 2014
May 31st 2014
May 31st 2014
June- 30th Sept 2014
October 2014
November & December 2014
Allocation of roles across Project Phases
A
Champs
B
Champs
C
Champs
Information on Social Prescribing Interventions
C/ D
Strategic Clinical Network
Models of practice locally and nationally
E
Champs/Sefton Public Health leading with input from SCN
F
SCN and Champs
G
SCN Champs
H-K
SCN/Champs/Key stakeholders
Suite 1, Marwood, Riverside Park, 1 Southwood Road, Bromborough, Wirral CH62 3QX
Tel: 0151 666 5123 www.champspublichealth.com