How can local health systems improve the uptake of social prescribing? A South Eastern NSW case study (3/3)
In 2020, COORDINARE engaged health and social services consultancy Beacon Strategies in partnership with facilitators Carrie Lumby from Troubled Dog and Dr Belinda Thewes to lead a co-design process to develop a model of social prescribing tailored for the South Eastern NSW region.
The program model to be designed was aimed at building social connection and self-management capacity in people living with or at risk of chronic conditions in South Eastern NSW.
With the continued focus on social prescribing as a ‘high-value, low-cost’ way of improving the responsiveness of the health system, we thought it would be worthwhile to unpack some of what we learnt in that project to share with other PHNs commissioning social prescribing service models or linkage program providers.
(If you missed it, check out parts one and two of this blog series “what is social prescribing?” and “what does ‘good’ social prescribing look like”.)
How can local health systems improve the uptake of social prescribing?
Moving from a position of mobilising general support for the concepts towards the uptake and implementation of social prescribing elements is the challenge.
There are significant opportunities to enhance the uptake of social prescribing in local communities and health systems right across Australia, with PHNs having a particularly profound opportunity to lead the charge.
In the South Eastern NSW context where this project was focused, the concept of social prescribing aligned closely with the strategic objectives and priorities of COORDINARE (South Eastern NSW), particularly in building the capacity of health consumers for self-management, improving health literacy and connecting to evidence-based initiatives that reduce lifestyle risk factors.
Capturing insights
If you’re working in a PHN and looking to capture local insights around what a social prescribing model for your community should look and feel like, here is a sample of the framing questions we devised to guide our consultation with health consumers and health professionals and guide the development of an implementation-ready model:
How important is social/non-clinical support in the context of your experience of living with a chronic health condition, or supporting someone else?
What are the underlying needs of someone seeking social/non=clinical supports?
What are the barriers, frustrations or practical challenges to accessing social/non-clinical supports?
What are the enablers that have helped you or someone else link with and stay connected to social/non-clinical supports?
What are the current gaps or missing supports for people in your community?
What is the range of social/non-clinical supports that someone could benefit from?
What are the key terms, words or language to describe social prescribing in a meaningful way?
What is the experience that a service user of social prescribing have?
Who is the target audience most suited to accessing a social prescribing model?
How should the target audience be identified and referred to relevant supports?
What is the location or setting a social prescribing should be located within?
What is the workforce and capabilities needed for a social prescribing model?
How should the social prescribing model be sustainably funded and resourced?
If the new service was a success, what would the desired outcomes or indicators be for individual users and the broader local community?
The future of social prescribing
In many ways, social prescribing is just a contemporary way of applying social determinants of health to the longstanding GP: patient relationship that acts as the cornerstone of Australia’s primary health care system. There is a risk that the term becomes merely a buzzword, or is co-opted by providers with their proprietary model of social prescribing.
However, by honouring the principles and aspirations of social prescribing and designing program models in a meaningful way with both consumers and health professionals, there is a real opportunity for ensuring all patients have access to those non-medicalised sources of strength, support and healing that enable good health.
If you missed it, make sure to read part 1 and part 2 of this blog series.
Looking for more help to designing programs and services for impact? Check out how we can help here. Or, keep reading about the work we do with Primary Health Networks.