Social Prescribing

Social Prescribing empowers individuals to improve their health, wellbeing and social welfare by connecting them to non-medical support services, groups and activities within their community.

The Social Prescribing approach recognises that people’s health is affected by a range of social, economic and environmental factors and that linking people in with their community is highly effective in reducing health inequalities within a local area.

As an original pioneer of the Social Prescribing model in Bradford, HALE now has over 15 years’ experience of delivering this through our Community Connectors service, with several successful evaluations undertaken by Sheffield Hallam University.

Our current model enables GPs, nurses and other medical professionals to refer people for local, personal support within their community.

Working in partnership with the CCG, and funded through the Reducing Inequalities Funding for the central Bradford Locality area, CLICS is a new service model intrinsically linked with social prescribing. This service is delivered in partnership with the CCG and other voluntary organisations, namely The VCS Alliance, The Girlington Centre, The Thornbury Centre and Trident.

What are Community Connectors?

HALE Community Connectors/Social Prescribers work with adults who may need some support and encouragement to access community activities or link in with local support services.

Many of the people we work with would like to make new friends, find out about local activities or get support for a variety of issues. We often work with people who have suffered loss, have recently had a baby, are struggling with a medical condition, or have moved to a new neighbourhood. They may also be facing issues that have affected their confidence.

We work with GP practices in the following areas:

• The Saltaire & Windhill Medical Partnership, and Idle Medical Centre.
• Cowgill Medical Practice, Sunnybank Medical Practice, Thornton-Denholme Medical Practice, The Willows Medical Centre, Shipley Medical Practice, and Haigh Hall Medical Practice.
• Leylands Medical Centre, Heaton Medical Practice, Ashwell Medical Centre, Hollyns Health & Wellbeing, and Manor Medical Practice.
• Bilton Medical Centre, Kensington Partnership, Picton Medical Centre, The City Medical Practice, and The Lister Surgery.
• The Avicenna Medical Practice, Bevan GP Bradford, New Otley Road Medical Practice, The Primrose Surgery, Valley View Surgery, Peel Park Surgery, and Thornbury Medical Centre.
• Little Horton Lane Medical Centre, Kensington Street Health Centre, Bradford Student Health, Grange Medical Centre, Dr I.M. Raja & Partner, Frizinghall Medical Centre, Park Grange Medical Centre, Parkside Medical Practice, and Clarendon Medical Centre.

Each area has slightly different services to offer, however referrals for all services are made directly through the GP Practice.

How does it work?

Your GP Practice can make a referral for you to have a Community Connector. Once we receive your referral, one of our Community Connectors will get in touch with you to introduce themselves and arrange a first appointment to talk through any issues you would like help with.

This is a personalised service- we work with the needs and at the pace of each individual.

Please click on the case studies below to read up on how our social prescribing service makes a real difference to people’s lives:

Case study

Case study

To find out more about the social prescribing services we offer at HALE please call our office on 01274 271088.

We also provide a social prescribing service for young people. You can find out more about this service here –  young people’s Social Prescribing service.