How effective are community approaches at protecting and improving health and wellbeing and reducing inequalities?

The NHS plans to extend a national programme of community approaches to improve health and reduce demand on formal healthcare services. These community approaches include two main elements: social prescribing where GPs refer patients to local, non-clinical services to provide support in areas such as employment, debt and physical activity; and community assets, which are collective resources, such as voluntary and community groups. We do not know how effective these approaches are and whether they will change inequalities between rich and poor areas. 

I will use several datasets from Greater Manchester and the rest of England to estimate the effects of these community approaches.

My findings will shed light on the effectiveness of these approaches and whether they can help to reduce inequalities and improve health and wellbeing.