What is social prescribing? Gobbledygook?

[Donald_1931]

Just asking. 🙄

[sassy59]

No idea Don. Xxx❤️

[Donald_1931 in reply to sassy59]

My doctor retired a year or two before the first lockdown and I never bothered to find out who replaced him. I have a couple of nurses who look after my respiratory and diabetic needs and self manage my other problems. However a young doctor phoned me a couple of weeks ago and invited me to have a face to face appointment which I took. She seemed to find it hard to believe that I didn't have a problem living on my own, perhaps I displayed some signs of approaching insanity. However she said she would refer me to a body that she thought I would find helpful. Shortly after that I received a phone call from a man who said he was from 'social prescribing' and forgetting what the doctor had said and having never heard of Social Prescribing I assumed it was some commercial scam and gave him short shrift.

[sassy59 in reply to Donald_1931]

You sound like me Don, giving short shrift. It sounds like something that may be helpful though so perhaps you could give them a ring? You don’t know until you try. JJ_7 has sent a very useful reply to you so see what you think. Xxx🤗❤️👍

[JJ_7 in reply to Donald_1931]

Hahahaha!!! Will there be a caustic but humorous poem about this encounter in the future????? ;)😂

[Sharp5Flat13 in reply to JJ_7]

I hope so! Don?

[Donald_1931 in reply to JJ_7]

I tried to phone the chap back to apologise for being so short not realising he was a volunteer offering help. But I just got an answering machine so left a message. I’ve become a bit of a recluse of late. 😕

[Greenthorn in reply to Donald_1931]

I dont know what social subscribing is but I think that once you find out you will put it into verse. Or worse. I know my mother used to do some scrubbing of the porch. 😂

[JJ_7]

Social Prescribing attempts to fill treatment gaps by the NHS. They will send you lists of activities in your local area and advocate for you if you are facing difficult social circumstances. They are staffed by unqualified but helpful and knowledgeable people. They are not Social Workers....Social Work is now staffed by qualified people undertaking serious legal work on Safeguarding, Mental Health detentions, and Child Protection. The soft end stuff like social clubs and in my case excercises, is how they will help.

I put in a link here Don:

caremerseyside.org.uk/

Click on Social Prescibing and you will see what is on offer.

Hope you are feeling well xxxxxx

[Donald_1931 in reply to JJ_7]

Thanks Mike, looking at the size of the operation I’m surprised I’ve never heard of it before. Especially here on this forum where people are so often in need of help.

[katieoxo60 in reply to Donald_1931]

It has been around since before the pandemic but not widely used unfortunately

[Oshgosh]

go for it and get whatever benefits you can x

[O2Trees]

It's things like Singing for Breathing, exercises classes, yoga - things that dont fall under medication but will help you with your condition. Sometimes e.g. art classes might be prescribed for people with anxiety. Lots of different approaches.

[battison]

it might be good Don! All sorts can be prescribed, like fun & social things too. (Even electricity/gas costs to I heard!) All sorts of non medical things that benefit well-being. I’m on the Exercise By referral scheme - free gym membership with instructor knowledgeable about our medical conditions. Very safe, never been to a gym in my life! But at nearing 70 has done HUGE good. Way less doddery, body getting strong and endomorphins (the hormones exercise cause?) gives a real high!

[GD53]

Morning Don and Puss.🐈‍⬛ Hope you're both keeping well. Dad(96) was offered "social prescribing " many moons 🌙 ago. He did go to ONE session daytime with other folk who lived on their own and his comments were quite fruity!! He does use a lot of language which is not pc, but your generation call a spade a shovel! 🤣He also didn't like leaving Rascal 😔 🐈‍⬛

Bless him, hes got an amazing brain, likes his books, loves sport on tele, has a few bets on the horses 🐎 and we take him to watch bowls which he was very good at.

I would say have a chat , you may find something suits 😉 you. Oh my dad loves the womans football ⚽️, hes always been a ladies man! 😘

Stay safe and well. Dawn.xx

[Stanjory]

it’s a very successful thing Don and has significantly helped many people by them going to their GP much less for things like anxiety or loneliness. I was involved in a project when I lived in Cornwall and patients got involved with allsorts of social things like community gardening, walks etc. It gets mentioned much more in the news these days too. Hope that helps!

[Alberta56]

It's a cheap way of providing what Social Services used to provide. We once nearly put the phone down on an Indian consultant from the local hospital. The background noises made us think it was a call centre. 😂😂🙃

[Lee_Scoresby]

Good morning, Don. ‘Social prescribing’ is basically “medicalising” what you and I know as exercise and activity.

[Izb1]

I laughed out loud Don when I read that you gave him short shrift, it is something i would do , I think everybody is out to scam me when I get a phone call x

[Morrison10]

interesting.please.let.us.know.more.jean

[katieoxo60]

Hello Don , Yes there is a thing called social prescribing , its where the Dr can prescribe you to social interventions for your health, things like a tea & chat club, special exercises for older people, clubs with different activities, walking especially for older people at your own pace. Even Physio at special gyms and also it gets you on the system for care at a later date if needs be. But they should have booked an appointment with you not just ring up as it could be anyone . I had a phone call yesterday from a man who said he could hear my heavy breathing on the phone I would expect so as I have a lung condition did not speak just put the phone down so appreciate your concern about this call. Take Care Sometimes social care can include a car to take you out worth asking for more detail every area has different facilities even in big cities. Enjoy the rest of your day.

[Thepainterswife]

I’m so glad you brought this up Don , I had no idea what it was either, never heard of it . I’ve no need of it at the moment but it sounds like a really thing to know about 😊xx

[Donald_1931 in reply to Thepainterswife]

Strange isn’t it when PR courses are so frequently discussed. Social Prescribing would be an ideal follow up for people who have deteriorated beyond the stage where PR is possible for them. It’s a pity they didn’t chose a better name for it. 🤔xx

[kev60]

hi , SP is usually by invite via your GP. I and my wife(carer) have been to four and ours is like minded people meeting up and talking about there issues and people chip in if they can help, the young girl that runs ours has helped people with their paperwork a put suggestions forward. next month we will be meeting dr's and nurses dealing with pain. most of our group have pain issues . its a bit like the forum but face to face, worth a try you have nothing to lose but could gain from it. good luck kevin

[wheezyof]

Oh dear! I'm like you. Scams and sales calls drive me mad. For my birthday my granddaughter adopted a baby elephant in a rescue centre but didn't tell me. They sent me an email. I never open emails rom unknown sources and automatically deleted it. When she rang to see if I liked my elephant... Fortunately when she contacted the charity they re-sent the email and of course because I was expecting it I did read it.

[Donald_1931 in reply to wheezyof]

I've stopped answering my landline phone and leave to the answering machine to deal with calls. Most calls were to tell me that my computer was about to fail and I should press 9 to speak to their expert. Incidentally you can switch to a plan where you only pay for the calls you make (I never use it) and save on the line rental. Not a lot know that.

[Cloudancer in reply to Donald_1931]

Bless you Don we certainly didn't know that thank you x

[watergazer]

What an informative post x

[Jaybird19]

i have a social advisor . wish i had never met her and that is only on the internet .

she was given my name and i thought good idea . wanted something local to go to and restablish my csocial contacts. so she suggested i go to a group who were stripping down a n old rusty iron fireplace !. I have dodgy Lungs ! so refused with thanks and various other things were suggested but i really want a painting group as mine folded during covid isolation .

i do have a problem that need attention on my computer . this cannot be sorted by me and i have to live with it but ask age uk for help . and age uk cannot find the problem. S they have told social advisor that i imagine this . i assure i dont . but worse she decided i should see doctor . i wasnt told about this and went armed with all my health details and was told they were worried about my state of mind i had to go to see doctor and convince him that i was sane . i didnt know this and assuned that it was following my 2 hospital visits . now i have to convince him of 2 things------ that my computer router is hacked , and my mind is OK.

so avoid all social advisors . you never know what might happen

Please dont tell me to change supplier or contact various people , including police. I have done so without success and have learned to live with it and all the problems

. there is so much more to this than i can tell you here

[eleanordigby in reply to Jaybird19]

Good grief, what an insufferable busybody that woman sounds! I’m incensed on your behalf, and also that people are actually taking her at her word! I automatically steer clear of organised activities. I’m sure the people running them are well meaning, but I’d rather spend my time doing what I want, with those of my own choosing. What would be better would be a website for each area so we could browse what’s available & decide whether we’re interested

[Patk1 in reply to Jaybird19]

You've had such a hard time Jaybird19.mine got corrupted a fair while back.i was able to take it to a local computer shop who wiped and cleaned it.

[Jaybird19 in reply to Patk1]

did all that and also got it looked at by Which ? legal team . result no problwm found . it was the router not the computer.

[Jaybird19]

i have just read all the other comments and didnt encounter anything like that . icame out of hospital less than a week after emergency abdo op and live alone in three story house. i di not get any help . was told i could be offered an interview with a set up for assistance and was offered an interview in three weeks . i was the one being interviewed but no one available to help . their cleaners, if i could get one were £30 per hour/. local charity could only offer to talfk to me after a week . . neighbours not much help as all working . could nt walk very well and stairs were very difficult only helped by handrails either side (and these had been put there by social services 15 years ago when i did get help with broken leg ) i wa s given more detials when i had a second stay in hospital just before christmas of a firm that helped who would only charge a cheaper rate . this was £34 to change a light bulb and i provided the bulb . i am not convinced of any help being available in this area

i do now get my shopping done by local charity and he is lovely ! he is also 70 and retired and helps out many hours with the local food bank. enjoys meeting people . doesnt do his wifes shopping but happily does mine . there are errors like finding a shortage of eggs at supermarket aaaaand so buying dozen organic at 59p each !! so i had an omelette and now have 9 left . today my favourite choc biscuit s " club orange" are on a really good offer so i ordered a months supply of 4 packs of seven fingers ,and only got one pack . It IS better for my health do as cannot indulge myself now. but do need convincing

[micox]

Four weeks ago we met our social prescriber following my inquiry about a GP service. In a couple of days I had a home visit from a young woman who introduced my wife and I to the herself and the social prescribing service; which can pick up on any social aspect of a GP practice (and there are very many). Suzi is Portuguese with perfect English and her qualifications (from my inquiries) are far superior to our own standards of social work qualification (I am a retired social worker), but Portuguese qualifications are not accepted here. We spent a relaxed and pleasant two hours in conversation about our circumstances. She was. empathetic and very well informed throughout.

Last week I phoned her and asked if she could help with an out of the ordinary task to do with body donation. She did this and I received the results by return. Social Prescribing done right is a wonderful service!