Today marks national Social Prescribing Day, an annual celebration of the people, organisations and communities who make social prescribing happen.

Since 2019, thousands of local, national and international organisations, link workers, medical professionals, academics and students have taken part across the world.

What is Social Prescribing?

Social Prescribing links individuals to non-medical sources of support, helping them take greater control of their own health and wellbeing. This might include community groups, creative activities, physical activity opportunities, benefits or housing advice, or local voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) sector services.

Every year, organisations join together to hold events, share ideas and highlight the impact of social prescribing on people and communities.

This year, the Humber and North Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership are highlighting case studies from across Humber and North Yorkshire to demonstrate how social prescribing operates at neighbourhood level and the impact it delivers for individuals, communities, and the wider system.

They demonstrate how social prescribing:

•        Addresses social determinants of health

•        Reduces escalation and preventable service demand

•        Supports prevention and early intervention

•        Complements clinical pathways

•        Strengthens neighbourhood and VCSE partnerships

Each case study demonstrates how investment in neighbourhood social prescribing delivers both personal and system-level value.

Read the case studies here.