Social Prescribing: Nature prescriptions on your doorstep

Today on the 12th March is National Social Prescribing Day. We are sharing some info on what social prescribing is, how we are involved and how you can find out more. 

What is social prescribing?

Social prescribing has been around in various forms since the 1980’s with more schemes being implemented over the last ten years. Interest in social prescribing has grown to provide interventions to people who go to see their GP with largely social issues as opposed to clinical needs.

Social prescribing is a referral made by a GP, link worker or primary care professional to a community-based non-clinical activity. It recognises the wider determinants of health and that a person’s wellbeing is influenced by a range of social, economic and environmental factors. It also gives people greater control over their own health by enabling them to choose from a range of community based activities and services. 

In Hackney, Family Action hold the contract for social prescribing and have a team of link workers who work alongside GP surgeries across Hackney. Anyone visiting the GP can ask to be referred to a link worker. They will then work with you to identify local activities and services that meet your needs and create a ‘social prescription’. The options depends on what is available locally but examples are art clubs, dance classes, gardening, volunteering, educational courses as well as support with things like housing advice and money management.

Gardening for Wellbeing

This year we have received funding from Team London to help develop our relationships with our local link workers at Family Action so that they can refer their patients to our community activities. This spring we are launching a new session for Hackney residents - The Gardening Wellbeing Club. This weekly session will bring people and nature together in a welcoming, supportive and safe space. The club will be as much about plants as it is about people. Sessions are being designed to encourage working as a team and building confidence alongside learning how to nurture and care for plants. We are big believers that when you take time to nurture nature, it will in turn nurture you too! The sessions will start on 28th March. For more info on making a referral or self-referring please get in touch on hello@hackneyherbal.com 

Garden Volunteering

We will also hosting monthly volunteer sessions that are open to anyone who wants to come and lend a hand in the garden. These will focus on some of the bigger jobs that we need to do complete to help develop the space. There will be digging up and re-homing plants, removing brambles, planting, pruning, setting up composting and garden structures as well as harvesting and general garden maintenance. You can find out more info and sign up on our volunteer page here. 

Useful Links

The Social Prescribing Network A network of health professionals, researchers, academics, social prescribing practitioners, representatives from the community and voluntary sector, commissioners and funders, patients and citizens.

London Plus A Social Prescribing Network to strengthen the role of the VCSE sector who are delivering social prescribing activities across London

Family Action - Managing the contract for social prescribing in Hackney and providing practical, emotional and financial support

Social Prescribing Reading List - A useful resource list collated by the King’s Fund

Capital Growth - London’s Community Food Growing Network.  You can find your local community garden and details of how to get involved on their handy map. 

Growing Health A project by Garden Organic and Sustain to see how community food growing can be routinely used by the health and social care services as a way of promoting health and wellbeing.

Food Growing on Prescription Report 2019 report highlight research on food growing and social prescribing in London.