Social Prescribing

Social Prescribing is defined as a means of enabling medical services to refer patients with social, emotional and/or practical and other needs to a diverse range of local non-medical sources of support within the community often provided by the voluntary and community sectors. (It is estimated that around 20% of GP appointments are for 'non-medical' needs, which is as frustrating for GPs as it is for patients, as a 10-minute consultation producing a medicine prescription is often not appropriate).