About the Social Prescribing programme
The NHS Long Term Plan commits to embedding social prescribing link workers within every primary care network (PCN), as part of a wider shift towards Universal Personalised Care. The initial Long Term Plan target is for over 1,000 additional trained social prescribing link workers to be in PCNs by the end of 2020/21. This target is expected to be exceeded by March 2021 and numbers are expected to keep rising so that by 2023/24 over 900,000 people are able to be referred to social prescribing schemes.
Social prescribing enables all primary care staff and local agencies to refer people to a link worker, who give people time and focus on what matters to the person, as identified through shared decision making or personalised care and support planning. Link workers also connect people to local community groups and agencies for practical and emotional support. Link workers are part of multi-disciplinary teams and collaborate with local partners to help people start new groups and activities as well as supporting existing community groups to be accessible and sustainable.
Course information
This elearning resource has been developed for social prescribing link workers and includes the core elements and skills required to do the job and deliver social prescribing as part of a PCN multi-disciplinary team. The first 6 introductory sessions were launched in 2019/20 and will take around 3 hours to complete:
- Introduction to the social prescribing link worker role
- Developing personalised care and support plans with people
- Developing partnerships
- Introducing people to community groups and VCSE organisations
- Safeguarding vulnerable people
- Keeping records and measuring impact
In 2020/21, we will add 3 further sessions:
Available now:
- Supporting people with their mental health through social prescribing
- Social welfare, legal support and money guidance
To follow:
- Supporting children and young people through social prescribing
More information
Social prescribing is part of a commitment to personalised care. Personalised care means all people have choice and control over the way their care is planned and delivered, based on ‘what matters to me’ and individual strengths and diverse needs. This happens within a system that makes the most of the expertise, capacity and potential of people, families and communities in creating better health access, outcomes and experiences. Personalised care takes a whole-system approach, integrating services around the person. It is an all-age model, from maternity and childhood through to end of life, encompassing both mental and physical health support. It can contribute to reducing inequalities in access and outcomes for all.
Social prescribing is one of 6 key components of the NHS Comprehensive Model for Personalised Care. Alongside shared decision making, personalised care and support planning, supported self-management, personal heath budgets and broader choice within the NHS, social prescribing enables people to be more involved in their care. Social prescribing should be delivered as part of a broader shift to personalise care in PCNs and local areas. For further information, please visit: https://www.england.nhs.uk/personalisedcare/
With thanks to Healthy London Partnership
Meet the team
Sessions 1-6
• Dr Marie Anne Essam – GP and Social Prescribing Lead, Herts Valley CCG
• Kate Green – Integrated Plus Social Prescribing Manager, Dudley CVS
• Jason Griffiths – Integrated Plus Link Officer, Dudley CVS
• Terry Gee – Integrated Plus Link Officer, Dudley CVS
• Sue Bloomer – Integrated Plus Link Officer, Dudley CVS
• Keeley Jones – Integrated Plus Link Officer, Dudley CVS
• Georgia Pearsall – Integrated Plus Link Officer, Dudley CVS
• Bev Taylor – Senior Lead, Personalised Care (Social Prescribing), NHS England and NHS Improvement
• Gilli Simmons – Senior Manager, Personalised Care (Social Prescribing), NHS England and NHS Improvement
• Clair Guy – Project Manager, HEE elearning for healthcare
• Alice Denham – Learning Designer, HEE elearning for healthcare
• Rashmi Chavda – Graphic Designer, HEE elearning for healthcare
Session 7
• Katharine Lonsdale – Connect 5 Trainer
• Julie Lowe – Manager, Personalised Care (Social Prescribing), NHS England and NHS Improvement
• Andi Blackmore – Programme Manager, HEE elearning for healthcare
• Chris Wood – Project Manager, HEE elearning for healthcare
• Paul Kelly – Learning Designer, HEE elearning for healthcare
• Rashmi Chavda – Graphic Designer, HEE elearning for healthcare
Session 8
- Vincent Wilson – Chief Officer, Citizens Advice Teignbridge, Devon
- Pallavi Kaushal – Senior Manager, Social Prescribing, NHS England and NHS Improvement
- Professor Dame Hazel Genn – Vice-Provost International & Advancement, University College London
- Michelle Pilling – Senior Lead, Social Prescribing, NHS England and NHS Improvement
- Fiona Ellis – Sector Skills Strategic Learning Lead, Money & Pensions Service
- Michaela Kirsop-Holdford – Head of Sector Skills and Development, Money & Pensions Service
- Special thanks to Social Prescribing Link Worker Focus group
- Andi Blackmore – Programme Manager, HEE elearning for healthcare
- Chris Wood – Project Manager, HEE elearning for healthcare
- Victoria Ward – Learning Designer, HEE elearning for healthcare
- Rashmi Chavda – Graphic Designer, HEE elearning for healthcare
How to access
In order to access the Social Prescribing programme, you will need an elfh account. If you do not have one, then you can register by selecting the Register button below.
To view the Social Prescribing programme, select the View button below. If you already have an account with elfh, you will also be able to login and enrol on the programme from the View button.
Not an NHS organisation?
If you are not an NHS health or care organisation and therefore do not qualify for free access elfh Hub, you may be able to access the service by creating an OpenAthens account.
To check whether or not you qualify for free access via OpenAthens, you can view the eligibility criteria and register on the ‘OpenAthens’ portal.
Registering large numbers of users
If you are a HR, IT or Practice Manager and would like to register and enrol large numbers of staff within your organisation for access onto the Social Prescribing programme, please contact elfh directly.
Organisations wishing to use their own LMS
For HR departments wanting to know more about gaining access to courses using an existing Learning Management System please contact elfh directly to express interest.
NHS healthcare staff in England
The Social Prescribing programme is also available to NHS healthcare staff via the Electronic Staff Record (ESR). Accessing this elearning via ESR means that your completions will transfer with you throughout your NHS career.
You can check whether or not you qualify for free access by clicking on the ‘Register’ button above.
More information
Please select the following link for more information on how to use the elfh Hub.
Further details are available here.