Investigating the provision and conceptualisation of social prescribing approaches to health creation

Social prescribing (SP) is a mechanism for linking patients in primary care with non-medical sources of support within the community, e.g. providing arts based activities instead of prescribing anti-depressants for patients with depression. Innovating approaches to reduce social inequalities and the burden on primary care is an NHS priority. Whilst some SP initiatives are addressing this priority, many variations exist in the interpretation of SP. There is therefore a need to reach some consensus on the definition of SP, and to critically explore its theoretical underpinnings.

This project will scope the provision of SP and review its theoretical underpinnings in the UK and Ireland, in order to develop a larger study addressing the urgent evidence gaps in the research on its comparative and economic effectiveness.