Blog: Springing into action - Co-production and social prescribing
Clare Cook from SPRING shares her insight into developing social prescribing across Scotland and the role co-production plays.
SPRING Social Prescribing helps people 18+ to address social, emotional and practical needs by connecting them to sources of support within their community to improve their health and wellbeing, funded by the National Lottery Community Fund. This support is ongoing throughout COVID-19.
During Covid-19, the Connect Well service was launched, to provide supports online and remotely, offering socially distanced visits and classes where appropriate, making sure clients felt connected and supported. There are 34 SPRING Social Prescribers working across Scotland and Northern Ireland, serving 28 communities in socially deprived areas. A total of 15 Social Prescribers are working across 10 areas in Scotland.
Co-production is at the heart of SPRING Social Prescribing. A social prescriber will help a client explore services and activities that can support them to better health and well-being. The client choses which supports to avail of and the Social Prescriber will assist and support the person to plan their next steps, and is on-hand throughout the programme.
Social Prescribers across all regions and areas are facing increased demands on their time, energy and support services in relation to mental and emotional supports. The following case study exemplifies the impact of the pandemic on mental health on people of all ages and in all regions.
Michael, a 23-year-old man living in a small rural village in South Lanarkshire, was referred to SPRING Social Prescribing at Heathy Valleys by his GP. Michael lives with his mother in a small isolated community with poor transport links. He has been unemployed since leaving school, with the exception of seasonal work at a nearby motorway service station. He kept in touch with a small group of school friends via social media but did not see them socially. In January, with the help and support of his social prescriber, Michael was taking part in weekly CBT sessions and was referred to a local employment training charity where he volunteered in the on-site café. He had started to feel optimistic about his future and confident about applying for work.
“Since I started seeing my CBT therapist my head is clearer and I can start thinking about the future. I really enjoy my café work and it has given me the confidence to apply for a part time job. I feel more positive about my life now.”
The lockdown measures exacerbated Michael’s symptoms and he has been prescribed stronger anti-depressants by his GP. Michael has continued to be supported by Healthy Valleys Listening Ear service, receiving weekly support calls which he says have helped him cope with the “COVID-coaster” feelings he has been experiencing:
“Each telephone call reinforces how I need to change my thinking from; Oh no! Not another day like yesterday, to, I’m looking forward to getting out in the sun for a walk with my dog. I’m feeling more in control of my moods and more optimistic.”
Michael has also been connected with stress control and mindfulness classes online to help him better manage his mental health.
In direct response to the mental and emotional strain of Covid-19 restrictions, the team at SPRING Social Prescribing provided “Connect Well” online workshops. It was a free weekly workshop available to anyone over 18 years and delivered via Zoom. The classes ran between May to September and a total of 668 people took part.
Workshops were designed to educate people on health, relaxation, and coping mechanisms. Workshops on resilience, relaxation, anxiety, how to get a good night’s sleep, and arts were well attended. The resilience workshop: “Todays emotions, tomorrow’s peace, moving beyond Covid,” attracted a record 60 participants.
Clients responded positively with statements such as: “I’m going through a really bad patch with my depression so Aine’s meditation has made me feel peace.”
A further 11% of clients with no digital access received isolation packs which contained educational information and exercise packs.
Digital disparity is an ongoing challenge. At Your Voice in Inverclyde they are delivering 15 iPads and 6 chrome books to people who are isolated and are acutely feeling the impact of the lack of social interaction in lockdown. Staff and volunteers are trained to support people as Digital Champions, they will spend an hour and a half each with an individual who needs to build their online confidence. The Social Prescriber based at Your Voice has just recently won the prestigious UK Link Worker of the Year Award based on his exceptional work with clients.
Not only does co-production happen with clients, SPRING has a management group made up of 4 members of SCHW and 3 members from the Health Living Centre Alliance in NI who shape and support SPRING. SPRING is currently going through a review process and working on a funding bid for an extension of funding and this process is a truly co-produced process gaining the views of clients, Social Prescribers, Managers, the Management Team and the Management group. SPRING believes in co-production by putting communities at the centre of the support they receive.
