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This Thursday (14th March) is International Social Prescribing Day. To recognise this and to focus on the new GP Contract commitment to provide link workers in all primary care networks, we begin a short series of two podcasts. In the first, this week, Ben talks to Marie-Anne Essam a GP in Herts Valley and an enthusiastic ambassador for social prescribing. She explains what it is and tells a powerful story about a patient of hers which amply illustrates the value of social prescription. She also talks about the role of link workers including their salary, their competences and their likely backgrounds.

Show Notes

Marie-Anne describes the scope of her involvement in social prescribing (0:45)

Marie-Anne’s role in promoting social prescribing– “telling the stories of changed lives” (1:01)

Help prescribed but not on an FP10 (2:45)

Designing social prescribing (4:06)

Marie-Anne tells the story of John, her first patient for whom she provided a social prescription (6:06)

Spreading the enthusiasm – a skilled link worker (11:51)

Working with patients – personalised solutions (12:54)

An understanding of social prescribing – the evidence (13:39)

The resources are coming (15:20)

What is a link worker? How do they work? (16:53)

Salary for link workers, training and competences (21:15)

The most important traits for a link worker (22:50)

“Field researcher” (23:54)

Further information (24:46)

NHS England has set up an online learning platform to share the latest resources and encourage collaboration. To join the platform, please contact england.socialprescribing@england.nhs.net